The Doppelganger
by angelsinstead
Summary: My take on the Two-Todds story including Marty and with an eerie or supernatural twist. Hold on tight... it's going to be a bumpy ride!
1. The Return

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the love story of Marty and Todd. It also includes several other characters as well as their storylines. This story will be submitted in several parts and is based off the hit soap One Life to Live, yet the "history" has been changed somewhat to suit the purposes of this story. Not all the parts of this story will contain erotic sex scenes as there is a plot. First and foremost, this story is a romance/drama, not a sex story.

Also, I'd like to note that I do not own ABC's One Life to Live or the characters and I will NOT be receiving any payment whatsoever for writing this story. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.

This story takes place BEFORE Marty attacked and killed her psychiatrist, stabbed Kelly, and pushed Natalie from the roof at Angel Square. In this story, those events will not happen. This is my take on the two-Todds story including Marty and with an eerie or supernatural twist. Hope you enjoy the story...

~*o*~

After months at St. Anne's, Marty was slowly coming back to reality, although she was far from healed. Her doctors were helping her immensely, yet she was grief-stricken as she very seldom received visitors. Cole, her only child was in prison, and she had no other family. All her friends seemed to have forgotten or deserted her. Only Starr had come to see her, bringing Hope, her precious little granddaughter. For Hope, Marty struggled to get better. She had to get out of this dreary mental institution and return to her grandchild. Cole couldn't be there for his little girl, so Marty longed to be.

Marty was sitting in a rocking chair in her room at St. Anne's looking at a photo of Hope when suddenly she felt a strange sensation move through her, stealing her breath. She felt as though someone were there, in the room, watching her. Marty became convinced that someone WAS there in the shadows unseen. Marty was certain she wasn't alone. She was being watched.

"Who's there?" Marty called out, looking out the window of her room, searching the shadows of the dying sunlight.

Only the eerie sound of the wind whispering through the trees answered back. Marty shivered. She hadn't been this unsettled for a very long time. She had a strange feeling then. A feeling like she wasn't alone...

As she stood there at the window, she had dropped Hope's photo upon the floor. When Sister Neena called her to the door to meet with her doctor, Marty didn't even notice the child's photo lying at her feet. She walked toward the door and left the room, going with Sister Neena down the hall to her evening therapy session.

Moments later, a hand reached out, grasping the photo. Someone stood in Marty's room at St. Anne's looking at the photo of Starr and Cole's little girl.

Later when Marty returned to the room, the man was gone, along with the photo. "That's strange," Marty uttered, looking all around the room for the photo of her granddaughter. It wasn't in its usual place which was upon her dresser. Where could it have gone?

Marty looked everywhere, but it was as if the photo had just vanished. Marty shivered, realizing then that her window was strangely ajar. A cool breeze played upon her flesh as she crossed the floor to the open window and attempted to close it. But as she began to press down on the window, it was then she saw a man standing in the courtyard below. Although she couldn't make out the figure because of the distance, something told her she knew the man. Every nerve in her body seemed to be agitated as a quiver moved through her and the breath was stolen from her lungs. Who was he? And why was he watching her?

As she slept in her bed that night, Marty was plagued by nightmares. When she woke up, tears streaked her face. Sister Neena had come running into the room to check on her, hearing Marty scream out as though being tortured. "Todd!" was the name that came flying from Marty's lips as she sat up in her bed, her long curls tangled about her face.

"Todd's here..." Marty sobbed to Sister Neena. "He's coming for me!"

~*o*~

Despite the nuns reassurances that Todd Manning was no where near St. Anne's, Marty could still feel his presence there like dark clouds lingering after a great storm. "He's here, I tell you... and he's been watching me..." Marty insisted, but the nuns didn't believe her. They thought she was hallucinating again like she had when she had thought a small ragdoll had been her baby.

"Marty, you need rest," spoke Sister Neena.

"Here, take these pills. They'll help you get some sleep," promised the elderly nun, placing two tablets in Marty's hand and a cool glass of water.

"Thank you," Marty said softly, accepting the pills although she had no intention of taking them. Todd Manning was out there somewhere, and she needed to be at full awareness as he might strike at any moment.

"Good night, dear," said Sister Neena, patting Marty's hand before leaving.

Moments ticked by and Marty remained seated within the wooden rocker. Bits and pieces of last night's dream returned to her, and she could remember hearing his voice as he spoke to her, telling her he was there now, he had come for her. And then he moved out of the darkness, and she saw him...

And to her horror and confusion, it wasn't the Todd she currently knew. But the old one. His face was that of the man who had raped her all those years ago. It had been HIS face... and HIS voice.

Marty's heart raced in her chest as she remembered the dream. What did it mean?

Then she remembered the figure in the courtyard and she froze. It HAD been him, hadn't it? Todd had been the man standing in the courtyard, looking up toward her room. But oddly it wasn't the face of the man she had known as Todd for the past eight years, the man who had tricked her into his home and into his bed when she had lost her memory. His face was now the same as it had been before he had claimed to have undergone plastic surgery. He looked like the man who haunted her nightmares and ruthlessly ravaged her memories.

"Noooo... noooo... it CAN'T be him," Marty murmured. Maybe she was losing it after all, going out of her mind. Maybe her fragile grasp at reality had finally snapped.

But if it were true, what could he want with her... and what did all this mean? Who was this man who looked so much like the man who had hurt her all those years ago? Was he Todd? And if he was, then who was the man who claimed to be Todd Manning now?

As the questions did a wild dance through her traumatized brain, Marty was alerted to a sound coming from the window. Marty stood fearfully, glancing over at the pane of glass. To her surprise and horror, the window began to open as if on its own. Then as she longed to flee, someone left the ledge outside, carefully climbing into the room. "Hello, Marty," he said, gazing at her in the soft lamp light of her room. "Long time no see..."

Marty's heart did a flip-flop in her chest. "Todd?" she gasped, staring at him as if he couldn't be.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"I'm Todd Manning..." he answered matter-of-factly, his voice resonating in her ears.

"You... You can't be..." she gasped.

"If you're Todd, then who is he?" she exclaimed, referring to the one who had claimed to be Todd for the past several years.

"That's what I'd like to know..." he replied, closing the window and going to stand next to her.

"Don't come any closer!" Marty breathed. "You aren't real... this can't be happening..." She pressed her hands up to her cheeks to cool them, looking at the man before her with disbelief.

"Marty... listen... I am the real Todd Manning... and that other guy, I don't know who he is, but he's taken over my life. He took my kids... he stole my fortune, my life... EVERYTHING! And I want my life back... you have to help me," he pleaded.

"Why should I believe you? And how do I know if you are really Todd?" Marty responded, staring at him in a state of shock. He certainly looked like Todd. And he sounded like Todd. Just being in his presense effected her like no one else ever could. "Obviously, you're lying... or he's lying..."

"And if he's not Todd, then he's a very effective liar... because he's had everyone believing he's Todd for the past 8 years," Marty said.

"Alright then, Marty...ask me a question... something no one else would know," he offered. "Something only you or I would know, no one else..."

Marty thought for a moment, then a question came to her. "When CJ was little, what did he call you?" Marty asked.

"Ali, the genie..." he responded quickly. "But that question couldn't count, because not just you and I know the answer, Marty... ask me again..."

"Okay," she replied, thinking of another question, something not just anyone could know. "Hmmm.. okay, how about this question..." She paused a moment, lost in the memories that bombarded her from long ago.

"The night of the spring fling, after you, Powell and Zach were finished, I lay on Kevin's bed, hugging a stuffed animal, but you ripped it from my arms... What was it?" she quietly asked.

He looked at her in disbelief, shocked that she had brought up that moment and that horrid night. But after a short while, his senses returned to him and he responded to her question. "It was a stuffed lion," he replied. "But Zach or Powell could have known that..."

"You're going to have to think of something else, Marty... something that only you or I would know..."

Hearing him respond that the stuffed animal had been a lion sent a chill through her. Maybe this really was Todd... maybe...? Another question came to her, thinking of another night... and another storm.

"One night David Vickers followed me back to my place. He grabbed me and tried to kiss me, right in the middle of a thunderstorm and in my own front yard. You showed up and saved me," she spoke, softly smiling at the memory.

"And afterwards, we went inside by the fire with mugs of hot chocolate... and we talked..." she said, looking into his eyes.

"And you said something... you said the thing you regretted most was..." Marty's voice trailed off as she waited for his response.

"The night we made love, I didn't stay and hold you," he answered quickly, the words falling off his tongue.

A moment passed and neither of them spoke. Then to his surprise and shock, Marty threw herself into his arms, hugging him ever so tight.

"It's YOU... it's REALLY you..." she gasped, wetting his shirt with her tears. Whether they were tears of joy or sadness, Todd could not be sure. He just couldn't believe she was in his arms, and that she seemed pleased to see him.

Suddenly Marty pulled back, looking stunned at what she had just done. Tears were shining in her eyelashes as she moved to put some distance between them. A soft chuckle moved through Todd's chest as he gazed at her. "I don't know what I was expecting, Marty, but I never dreamed you'd have that reaction," he spoke. "Could it be that you've actually missed me?"

"Don't push it, Todd," Marty said in an almost growl.

"I'm just glad it's really you... and he's not you..." she went on to explain. "He did things to me... He hurt me."

"He did?" Todd said as a muscle twitched in his jaw.

"What did he do, Marty?" he asked, although silently he was thinking how could this man pretending to be Todd have possibly hurt Marty any more than he himself had hurt her.

Looking at Todd, Marty faltered, then eventually she began to speak, the painful memories beginning to spill forth. "I had been in an accident... and I had lost my memory... and he- he took me to his place to care for me and nurse me back to health. And as time passed, I fell in love with him. .. but he didn't tell me he was you, that he was Todd Manning..." Marty said softly. "He didn't tell me he had raped me... He even asked me to marry him. We were planning to adopt a child..."

A soft sob moved through Marty as the rest came from her lips in a rush. "But it was all lies... because later I was told he was Todd Manning, the man who had raped me. He had betrayed me, deceived me. And even so, I was still in love with him. And I hated myself for it."

"But now I realize he wasn't the man who raped me..." Marty said with a shudder. "He wasn't you. He tricked me..."

"He tricked a lot of people," Todd said with a heavy sigh, feeling anger at what the imposter-Todd had done to Marty. No wonder Marty was here and so incredibly traumatized. "He tricked Blair, Tea, Starr, Vicki..."

"They all think he's me..."

"How could Blair and Tea have slept with him and not know he wasn't me?"

"I slept with him, too," Marty said softly. "I had no clue he wasn't you..."

"That doesn't count, Marty. Your memory was skewed... and it's been years since you and I have been together," Todd reminded. "But Blair and Tea should have known..."

"I don't know, Todd... he's very convincing. There were times, very dark times when he TRULY seemed like you."

Looking at Marty, Todd saw the fear lurking in her eyes. He had seen that look before, in the past long ago when he had terrorized her. "He scares you," Todd spoke softly.

"Yes... he does. He's full of darkness... like the dark-side of you."

"Don't worry, Marty. I'll protect you from him. You're safe now..." Todd promised.

She wasn't alone now. Todd was here. And he had promised to keep her demons at bay. How ironic. This man had raped her nearly two decades ago, but now here he stood, vowing to protect her. But for some strange reason, Marty felt oddly safe with him. Somehow, she believed him and knew he was sincere. It was as if all her fears were dissolving now that he was here...

"I believe you, Todd... and I will help you..." Marty spoke. "But you have to break me out of here..."

Then quietly she added, "And I'm going to want something of you in return."

"


	2. Memories

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the love story of Marty and Todd. It also includes several other characters as well as their storylines. This story will be submitted in several parts and is based off the hit soap One Life to Live, yet the "history" has been changed somewhat to suit the purposes of this story. Not all the parts of this story will contain erotic sex scenes as there is a plot. First and foremost, this story is a romance/drama, not a sex story.

Also, I'd like to note that I do not own ABC's One Life to Live or the characters and I will NOT be receiving any payment whatsoever for writing this story. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.

This story takes place BEFORE Marty attacked and killed her psychiatrist, stabbed Kelly, and pushed Natalie from the roof at Angel Square. In this story, those events will not happen. This is my take on the two-Todds story including Marty and with an eerie or supernatural twist. Hope you enjoy the story...

~*o*~

"Alright, Marty," Todd spoke in agreeance. "Let's get you out of this place..."

"And how do you propose to do that?" Marty asked.

"I have my ways," Todd said with a slight chuckle. "Sit tight... I'll be right back..."

Marty watched as Todd made his way out the window. As soon as he was out of sight, Marty began to feel uneasy. What if he didn't come back? What if he was just an illusion after all? How could ANY of this be real?

St. Anne's was a high security facility. How in the world would Todd ever get her out of here? Marty had so many questions to ask him if he ever did come back...

Not even a half hour later, there was a soft knock upon Marty's door. "Ummmm... who is it?" Marty asked, her heart pounding in her chest.

"It's me, Sister Mary Alice," came a voice. "I'm here to take you to your evening session with your psychiatrist."

Sister Mary Alice? Who in the world was that? "Well, alright..." Marty replied, feeling a bit perplexed as she moved toward the door.

A moment later, a key turned in the lock, and there stood a tall figure dressed in a nun's habit. Marty couldn't stop herself. She burst into laughter. "Todd?" she murmured, trying to control her soft giggles.

"Yes, it's me," Todd replied with a little smirk. "Now let's get the hell out of here."

Marty grabbed a duffel bag containing her possessions as Todd motioned for her to join him in the hallway. She just couldn't get over how ridiculous he looked in that nun's habit. "We gotta hurry," Marty said urgently as she gradually got her wits about her. "If anyone sees me, they'll lock me up and throw away the key. I've already escaped St. Anne's once..."

"How did you manage that?" Todd asked as they cautiously made their way down the hall and toward the staircase.

"It's a long story," she sighed, not wanting to get into it now. "Let's go..."

Thankfully it was late evening and most of the nuns had gone to bed. Todd and Marty made their way down to the first floor, only to discover there was a guard standing at the entrance of the building. As they rounded the corner, they were almost seen. Thinking quickly, Todd pulled Marty into a supply closet before anyone saw them. "Shhh... don't say a word," he whispered as Marty was about to protest. Softly he pressed a finger against her lips. Marty's eyes became huge pools of dark blue as she gazed at Todd in the near-darkness. How was Todd going to get them out of this one? And how in the world could she stand TOUCHING him?

After a few moments, their close proximity became a bit too much for Marty. She attempted to put some distance between them, but found it to be impossible. They were in such a small space, and any sound or movement they made might alert the guard. "Todd," Marty whispered, feeling uncomfortable. She could feel Todd's warm breath against her cheek along with the constant pounding of his heart against hers. Quietly, she looked away from him, her own heart skipping a beat.

"It's alright, Marty," Todd spoke softly. "I'll have us out of here in a moment..."

Marty heard footsteps coming closer, then the distinct sound of someone walking briskly down the hall. No doubt the guard. Once again, her eyes widened, seeing Todd withdraw a gun from within the dark nun's habit he had donned. "Todd? A gun?" she gasped, freaking out at the thought of Todd being forced to use the dangerous weapon. The nuns had been good to her here; she couldn't possibly live with the thought of anyone getting shot.

"Come on, Marty... now's our chance," Todd insisted, opening the door and tugging her along behind him. There was no one in sight as the two of them made their way hastily down the hallway and toward the front door of the mental institution. A few moments later, Todd was disarming the security code so the door would release without sounding the alarm.

"Todd, hurry!" Marty gasped, seeing the guard in the distance, making his way down the long narrow hall they had just vacated.

Without a moment to spare, Todd managed to disarm the security system and the door came abruptly open. For the first time in months, Marty was free. She stood outside a moment, inhaling the fresh air and the cooling breeze as it played upon her skin. A slight smile came to her face as she cherished her freedom. Todd, seeming mesmorized with the sweet look upon her face, came to his senses to grab her arm and pull her along toward the car he had waiting in the distance. It was an old cluncker he had hot-wired at the Minute-Man Motel, but at least it had gotten him to his destination. "So, how do you like my wheels, Marty?" Todd asked teasingly as he was starting the engine.

"I won't ask," Marty quipped as the car started up and Todd was speeding out of the parking lot. She had so many questions, but before she could ask them, they had to get safely away from St. Anne's. She didn't want to go back there... not now... and not ever.

As they were driving back toward Llanview, Todd glanced over at Marty sitting in the passenger's seat. "We have a lot ot talk about," he said to her as though he could read her mind.

"Yes, we do..." Marty agreed as she looked at the man beside her, still in awe that he was here... and that this was really Todd. It was a lot to take in, and her fragile mind was still trying to process it all.

"We have all night," Todd breathed as they neared the Llanview city limits sign and a moment later they had pulled up at the Minute Man Motel. Marty began to wonder... what were they doing here?

"Home sweet home," said Todd as he and Marty left the car, and he unlocked the door to the room where he had been staying. A moment later, they stepped inside the scantily furnished motel room. Marty lay her duffel bag down on the small desk next to the beat-up loveseat as Todd removed the disguise he had been wearing, tossed it aside, and sank down on the bed.

"You're safe here, Marty," he murmured, running his fingers through his hair absently, so glad it had gone off without a hitch and no one had been injured during Marty's escape.

Marty took a seat on the loveseat, gazing over at Todd. "We need to talk," she said softly, honestly having no clue where to begin.

Todd glanced over at her, trying to relax against the very uncomfortable, lumpy bed. "Alright, Marty, you're good at that. I'll let you start..."

"First of all, where have you been these past eight years?" she questioned. "What happened to you?"

"Mitch Lawrence was threatening Blair and my kids... and I went to straighten him out. He and his thugs beat me to a bloody pulp, locking me in my dead father, Victor Lord's tomb," Todd explained. "I honestly don't remember much after that."

"Only that it was dark in there, very cold, and I was bleeding..." Todd replied. "I thought I was dying..."

"...Maybe I did."

"Well, obviously you didn't, Todd, because you are here now... and you are talking to me. What happened after that?" Marty asked.

"I haven't the slightest clue. My next memory was waking up... and it was eight years later," Todd answered. "And I had no idea at the moment who I was, what had happened... and the strangest thing was that there was this guy standing over me..."

"His name is Agent Baker, and he's a bastard. He used electric shock on me. Nearly fried my brain, but eventually the memories began to resurface..."

"I remembered Blair, I remembered Starr ... Tea, Jack, and Vicki..." Todd spoke. "And... I remembered you."

Their eyes met as Todd continued. "I knew I had to get out of that place, away from that psycho Baker. He kept saying, 'You know where it is... and you must give it to me. We've waited eight long years for you to wake up and tell us where IT is.' And he kept insisting I give him IT, whatever it is. But I had absolutely no clue what the guy was talking about, so he kept shocking me, sending bolts of electricity through my body. Later, when I told him I had no idea what IT was, he became angry, saying if I didn't tell him what he wanted to know, he had no use for me now and he wanted me dead. That's when I knew I had to get out of that place. I had to get free..."

"I had to get back here... back to my family... to Llanview..."

"To you," he almost said, but he stopped himself before the words burst out.

After a moment, Todd then went on to say. "So, I escaped."

"It was that easy? You just got up, and you walked out?" Marty questioned.

"No, Marty, it wasn't that easy...not at all," Todd responded, not wanting to go into the details of his escape, at least not now.

"Anyway, I came back to Llanview only to discover that someone else has been impersonating me for the past eight years, and he's living my life. He has Tea, my ex-wife in his bed, my kids think he's me, and he has his hands all over my fortune. I've been lurking around, finding out what I can, but it hasn't been easy, because one of Agent Baker's little friends followed me here to Llanview. He showed up in Dorian's backyard carrying a gun and nearly shot a little boy I had befriended. The guy's name was Agent Kent, but he's dead now," Todd went on to explain. "I had to kill him, Marty. He nearly hurt Sam..."

"Sam?" Marty gasped, speaking of Blair's adopted son. "Are you sure he's alright?"

"Yeah, he's fine... Cute kid," Todd said, smiling fondly when he thought of his little friend. "Whose kid is he anyway?"

Todd was confused because the child had said Starr was his sister. Obviously, since Sam was just now turning seven, he couldn't possibly be the boy's father. "He's.. He's the son of the imposter Todd, I suppose, his son with Margaret Cochren," answered Marty. "Blair adopted him."

Todd appeared almost relieved. "Well, at least I don't have any kids I don't know about," he said with a slight chuckle.

"Wait a minute, Todd..." Marty started, not knowing quite how to tell him this. How would she tell him about Dani?

"What, Marty?" Todd asked, looking over at her sharply.

"I have another kid?" he suddenly demanded.

"After the imposter Todd took me to into his home and coerced me into bed with him, Tea came to town to represent him when we went to court. And not long after, her teenage daughter came to Llanview. Her name is Dani," Marty explained. "She's just a year younger than Jack and according to Tea, she was conceived on a desert island..."

"Wait... wait! Hold it... now wait a minute!" Todd exclaimed. "Tea? The island?"

"Dani's my daughter?" he gasped, remembering that in all these weeks of snooping he had been wondering exactly who this Dani might be.

"Yes," Marty answered, knowing it had to be a big shock to Todd, finding out he had a teenage daughter he had never known about.

"No way," said Todd. "Why in the hell did Tea never tell me this?"

"I guess at first she thought Danielle belonged to Ross Rayburn..."

"So now I have three kids," said Todd as it all began sinking in. But then to Marty's surprise and shock, he reached for the photograph he had been holding onto, withdrawing it from his pocket and giving it over to Marty.

"So, who is this?" he asked, referring to the picture of Hope.

Marty hesitated. How could she ever tell him this? How would Todd take the news?

"Todd, Starr is not the same little girl she was eight years ago. She's grown up... and she's a mother," Marty said softly.

"Hope is... our granddaughter."

"Wait.. wait... did I hear you right, Marty?" Todd spoke with confusion. "You just said, OUR granddaughter."

"That's right, Todd. My son Cole and your daughter Starr had a baby. Her name is Hope, and she's our granddaughter, yours and mine."

Todd looked at the photograph lying in Marty's hand, trying to wrap his mind around that one. Starr had given birth to a baby. He was a grandfather. And Marty and Patrick Thornhart's son, Cole was the father of his daughter's baby. After a moment Todd met Marty's gaze and he said very softly, "She's beautiful."

"Yes, she is," Marty said in agreeance as she just couldn't believe he had taken this news so well. "Are you okay with this, Todd? You aren't mad?"

"No, of course I'm not mad. I have a granddaughter. Starr's a mommy," said Todd. "Why would I be mad?"

"Well because the imposter Todd was furious. He tried to kill Cole..." answered Marty.

"It's been a mess... all of it, but right now my son is in prison. Not because of imposter Todd though. It's a very long story," she said with a heavy sigh.

"Starr and Cole were in love, right? Why would the man impersonating me try to kill him?" Todd asked.

"I dunno, he said he had to protect Starr, and he hated Cole. He found them in bed together, and he lost it..."

"There's more, Todd... I just don't know how to tell you..." Marty spoke, her voice quivering.

"You have to tell me, Marty. We have to make some sense of this. I gotta get my life back. Please, help me," Todd nearly pleaded.

"Alright... I'll try, but it isn't going to be easy for me..." Marty relented as she struggled to push the painful words past her lips.

She was trembling as she looked over at Todd, trying her best to explain the complicated life she had led since her return to Llanview. "Todd, I have lost everything..." she said sadly. "I lost Patrick. I lost Cole... and ..."

"It all started when I was in that accident and I lost my memory. I told you how the imposter Todd took me back to his place, he nursed me back to health, and I fell in love with him..." Marty began to explain. "We were planning to be married... and he told me his teenage daughter was expecting a child..."

"When he told me about the baby, my heart lept. I wanted that baby to be ours so very much. And he had said that his daughter was planning to give the infant up for adoption, and that the two of us could adopt the baby when it was born. I had no reason not to believe him. I was sooo in love with him... but unfortunately, I had fallen in love with an illusion. I should have known that something was wrong... because I started having these horrific nightmares..."

"About that night, about the Spring Fling," Marty spoke. "Eventually, some memories surfaced, and I knew I had been raped. But even so, he didn't say a word. He kept me with him, making me fall deeper in love with him, spinning tales about our life together and the baby we were about to adopt, and I was happy. Blissfully happy. Then came the day when it all came crashing down..."

"John McBain came, telling me the truth, although I didn't want to believe it. John said that the man I had fallen in love with was in fact Todd Manning, the man who had raped me all those years ago, and although my memory was skewed, I hated myself for letting him do that to me, for making me fall in love with him... for lying to me all those months... and coercing me into his bed," Marty said softly. "And I think what hurt most was that there wasn't going to be any baby. The infant he had told me we were to adopt was in fact my own granddaughter, Cole's little girl. And imposter Todd had planned to steal her upon the day of her birth..."

"So, that night at the hospital after I had discovered the truth, I took these pills, so there would be no chance of me conceiving his child. I was furious with him and I wanted there to be no possible way a child could be born of such a union."

Todd didn't say anything, just looked at Marty with horror as she told him all she had been through. It seemed the Imposter Todd had wrecked havoc upon the lives of all the people he cared about with his lies and destruction. "I was a mess after that happened... because despite everything, I was still in love with him. We went through the trial, and Tea came to town. He got off scott-free. And through all of it, he claimed to LOVE me. So, on New Year's Eve night, I lured him to the top of Palace Hotel and told him how he had hurt me... and I-I presuaded him to jump off the roof and into the icy river. "

"And I felt absolutely nothing as I watched him fall..." Marty spoke as another shudder moved through her. "I know that night, I was losing it then. My anger and my resentment toward him was controlling me. And from that point on, my mind began to snap... and I probably would have done something awful."

"I take it he survived the fall," Todd said softly, stating the obvious.

"Yes, unfortunately he did, and not long after, I got my memory back, and John and I found out we were having a child..." Marty said as her voice trailed off. Todd looked at her, not missing the tears shining bright within her eyes.

Suddenly then, more painful memories spilled out. She told Todd about Hannah pushing her down the stairs at the hospital, and the loss of her unborn child. "I think after that, I totally lost it... I had lost the baby, and not long after, I had lost John, too, when he went back to his ex Natalie. It was just like before, when I had lost Imposter Todd and the child he and I were going to adopt. And then Cole got sent to prison for stabbing Hannah," Marty went on to explain. "I had a breakdown and ended up in the mental ward of St. Anne's. I had kidnapped John and Natalie's infant son, Liam, thinking he was my own baby with John. So there you have it, Todd... I have been in there for months, trying to make some sense of my complicated and mess-up life..."

"I've lost so much. I lost Patrick, I lost John... I lost Cole... I- I lost my baby I was having with John," Marty spoke. "I even lost Imposter Todd and the child he claimed he and I were going to adopt..."

"I have lost everything, and ohhh God, I- I even lost you..."

Todd shook his head in denial. "No, you haven't, Marty," he insisted. "I'm right here, and you'll never lose me."

"You're stuck with me," he said with a slightly sarcastic chuckle. "We need each other... and we always have. We were born under the same star, remember?"

Looking at Todd, Marty didn't say something for a few moments, as though she were struggling with her own inner demons. "Todd, there's something I have to tell you..." Marty finally spoke, the breath trapped in her chest.

Her eyes were luminous with unshed tears, and Todd could sense she had some sort of huge confession she'd been hiding for God knows how long. He wasn't sure if he could take it.

"What is it, Marty?" he quietly asked.

"Years ago, something happened... right after the Spring Fling. I was sick; I thought it was my Lupus, but it wasn't. You were in prison then... and I was alone..."

Marty drew in a ragged breath. "I went to Larry... and I discovered I was pregnant. At first, I thought it was a result of that awful night... but Larry did an ultrasound and come to find out, I was too far along. It wasn't from the Spring Fling, the baby was conceived earlier."

"The baby was yours, Todd. I was pregnant with your baby..."

"I was so scared. I didn't want to raise a child all on my own... and after what had happened, I almost... well, I almost didn't go through with the pregnancy. But then... I came to love the child... and I wanted our baby. And after awhile, I was actually happy... because I had already lost so much, my parents, my best friend Megan, Luna... you..."

"Damnit, I was in love with you back then... hopelessly in love, but you and your frat buddies raped me! YOU, the man I loved, raped me!" Marty cried out as the pain and anger came lashing out. "And not even four months later, I lost our baby! I had lost everything... the baby, you... EVERYTHING!"

Todd sat there on the bed, staring at Marty in a state of shock. "You were carrying my baby, and you didn't tell me?" he asked breathlessly.

"How could I tell you, Todd? You were in prison, for RAPING me!" she cried out.

"Ohhh God!" Todd moaned, running his fingers through his hair aimlessly. He couldn't believe he was hearing this. First Dani... and now a child with Marty he had never known about. Marty had been through so much, and he hated himself for it. The greatest scars on her heart seemed to have come from him.

"I'm so sorry, Marty," was all he could say.

"Don't be sorry, Todd; it was a long time ago..." she responded. "I have wanted to tell you for so long now... but I couldn't. Sometimes it's just easier to pretend it never happened. But I can't do that anymore. Not after I nearly lost my mind and ended up in St. Anne's. I realize now, that if I am going to get better, I have to face everything and deal with it head-on, so I can finally heal and move on with my life."

"I've lost so much, but there's still Hope, our little granddaughter. She's such a sweetie, Todd. And Starr's such a wonderful mommy."

"Yes, you do have Hope. And I'm back now; and you and I are going to be here for each other. You aren't alone anymore," Todd promised as he longed to take Marty into his arms and comfort her. He longed to take away the pain she had been through and make her smile again... if only he could.

"You have to realize, I have lost a lot, too. Eight years of my life. And my kids. Jack barely knows me... and Dani does not know me at all. I need to get my family back... I need to get my LIFE back..."

"We have to find out why this imposter has overtaken my life..." Todd spoke.

"We will, and I intend to help you..." Marty responded. "I promise I will."

"For a price," Todd reminded.

"Marty, what exactly did you mean when you said you wanted something from me in return?" 


	3. Duplicity

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the love story of Marty and Todd. It also includes several other characters as well as their storylines. This story will be submitted in several parts and is based off the hit soap One Life to Live, yet the "history" has been changed somewhat to suit the purposes of this story. Not all the parts of this story will contain erotic sex scenes as there is a plot. First and foremost, this story is a romance/drama, not a sex story.

Also, I'd like to note that I do not own ABC's One Life to Live or the characters and I will NOT be receiving any payment whatsoever for writing this story. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.

This story takes place BEFORE Marty attacked and killed her psychiatrist, stabbed Kelly, and pushed Natalie from the roof at Angel Square. In this story, those events will not happen. This is my take on the two-Todds story including Marty and with an eerie or supernatural twist. Hope you enjoy the story...

~*o*~

Marty shook her head, her eyes meeting Todd's gaze. "No, I've had enough talk for tonight. It's after three AM, and all I can think about right now is sleep. We have to get your life back, Todd, and when we do, then we'll discuss what I'd like in return."

Todd knew Marty to be very stubborn at times, so he was certain it was useless to badger her if she was refusing to talk. He sighed deeply as he knew they had discussed a great deal tonight and they were both mentally and physically exhaused and in dire need of rest. "Whatever, Marty. I guess we'll talk about it later," Todd said in an almost-growl. He picked up a pillow from the bed and grabbed the spare blanket at the end of the bed. He then stood, walking over to the loveseat.

He grumbled, "Get off my bed."

Marty stood up quickly, knowing it would do no good to argue with him over which one of them got the bed. It seemed that Todd was quite determined that he was sleeping on the loveseat, so she'd let him have it. She went quietly into the adjoining bathroom to dress for bed, wondering how she would ever survive living in this motel room with Todd in such close quarters. After Marty had slipped into her long white nightgown, she made her way back into the bedroom where Todd had settled down on the very small, uncomfortable loveseat. She glanced over at him as she made her way to the bed. As she crawled beneath the sheets, she heard Todd say, "You know, Marty, despite everything, I'm glad you're here. Thank you for helping me..."

She looked over at Todd in the almost-darkness. "I'm glad I'm here, too."

"And I'm glad you're back," she quietly admitted.

He half-raised an eyebrow, returning her gaze. Marty was glad he was back? He thought he would never hear those words coming from her lips. "Try to get some sleep," he encouraged.

"Alright," Marty replied, knowing that wouldn't be too difficult. At this point she could barely keep her eyes open. Sleep would be a blessing after her great escape and all she and Todd had discussed.

Long after she had drifted to sleep, Todd lay awake, gazing at her in the near-distance, his thoughts overtaken with their earlier conversation. Her words kept echoing in his head. Marty had said that she had been in love with him all those years ago. It would seem that they had been so caught up in their heated animosity for so very long that perhaps they had forgotten what it had been that had brought them together initially before that one fateful night. As he lay there looking at Marty, Todd knew he would do anything this for woman. He had hurt her beyond what was forgiveable, yet never once had he told her that he too had been in love. He had been a jerk and a fool. He had possessed something powerful and so precious, but he had crushed it carelessly in his hands as though it had meant nothing to him. In that one horrible moment, he had destroyed so much, and he had been paying for it ever since. Todd knew nothing would ever make up for that dark and violent act, but now he'd give Marty whatever it was her heart desired. He vowed he would keep her safe and fight all her demons. Although it was too late for him to have what it was he needed above all else, he would see to it until his dying day that Marty would be granted happiness.

~*The Next Morning*~

Todd 2 sat at his desk at The Sun, scowling at the current edition of the paper which was about to be published. He grumbed as he was ravenous, and he had sent Jack out to get them breakfast over an hour ago, but the teenager had yet to return. "Where the hell are you, Jack? I'm starving!" he snapped, slapping his hand down on his desk. He then put in a call to Vimal in the other room, asking where Jack had gone and then cursed at him because he was dissatisfied with the front page of the paper.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Manning. There just isn't enough material. I couldn't come up with any gore, violence, or the usual horrorific stuff you like to print..." Vimal apologized.

"Dammit, Vimal, I don't pay you to bring me this-this... GARBAGE!" Todd 2 snarled. "Now find me some sort of scandal, an axe murder or something GOOD to write about!"

"Alright, Mr. Manning... Alright," Vimal promised soothingly. "I'll see what I can find."

Todd 2 slammed the phone down, spouting a mouthful of obscentities as he looked up, seeing Jack stroll into the office. "Where is my breakfast?" yelled Todd 2.

"Sorry, Dad, I got side-tracked," replied Jack as he set a styrofoam tray of food down upon his father's desk.

"What's this crap?" sneered Todd 2, looking into the food tray and seeing cold toast and a mound of greasy eggs. "Dammit, Jack, this food is COLD! Can't you do anything right?"

Jack didn't say anything as he stood there flabbergasted as he had really tried to get his dad breakfast as he had been commanded. "I'm sorry, Dad..." he said again. Lately his dad seemed angry all the time. He was always yelling and going off on somebody. Jack was often afraid of his dad and now was no exception.

"Dad, I just wanna show you something... why I got distracted..." Jack said softly, walking closer to where Todd 2 was seated.

"What is it?" Todd 2 growled, making Jack jump. The teenager looked like he might come out of his skin. Jack reached out slowly, placing a newspaper into his dad's hands. It was the today's edition of The Banner.

"What the hell?" Todd 2 gasped, as he quickly read the headline. 'Marty Saybrooke Escapes from St. Anne's... Again.'

"I knew you would be mad. It looks like The Banner got to the story before we did," Jack said as he plopped down in a chair in his father's office. "I think you should fire Vimal."

Todd 2 looked up, glaring at Jack. "Get the fuck out of my office!" he growled.

"Did you hear me?" he yelled when the teen just sat there, looking at him. "I said GET OUT!"

"Alright, Dad. Okay... sheeesh..." Jack said, getting up and quickly leaving. His dad was really losing it lately. It would seem that Jack could do nothing right in his father's eyes. Jack scurried out of the office, disappearing down the hallway. He couldn't leave the building as his dad might call him back on a whim. If he went too far, his dad would be furious. "I hate my life," Jack was thinking.

~*o*~

John and Natalie were looking at The Banner too in John's office, reading the front page which told of Marty's escape from St. Anne's. "She's out there somewhere, John. What if she tries to take Liam again?" Natalie worried.

"Brody won't let anything happen to Liam," John sighed, knowing that both Brody and Natalie had been greatly traumatized by Marty abducting their baby. "I'm calling St. Anne's. I want to know how Marty got out. After her last escape, I thought they had increased her security. I have no clue how she got out again."

After calling St. Anne's John had more answers than questions. "Someone helped Marty escape last night..." he said with a heavy sigh. "Now the question is, who would want to help her get out of the mental hospital?"

Natalie looked back at John, clueless. "I honestly have no idea."

"St. Anne's is having the surveillance tapes sent over to me, so I can try to identify the man," John told Natalie. "Don't worry. Liam is safe... and we'll find Marty and whoever this idiot is that broke her out."

A few minutes later, the surveilance tapes were brought to the police station. With Natalie by his side, John began watching the tapes. He fast-forwarded the footage to moments before Marty's escape. A man was seen entering St. Anne's. "There!" John said, pointing to the image of the man on the screen.

"Ohhh my God!" Natalie gasped as John paused the tape so they could get a good look at the man. "It can't be!"

"Who is that, Natalie?" John asked urgently.

"He... He looks like my Uncle Todd..." Natalie said as though in shock. "...Before he underwent facial reconstruction. How-How can that be?"

As they continued watching the remainder of the footage, they saw the man in question walking around the halls of St. Anne's as though he owned place. Later the man came out of a supply closet wearing a nun's habbit and not long after, he walked right out the door with Marty Saybrooke. "Unbelievable," John muttered after they had finished watching the tape.

"What does this mean?" Natalie gasped, still in shock because the man who had helped Marty in her escape looked so much like her Uncle Todd.

"I don't know, Natalie, but I am gonna find out. Your Uncle Todd has been keeping secrets. He's hiding something. And I am gonna find out what it is."

~*o*~

Todd had gotten up early as his stomach was growling. He had went to a vending machine and gotten some chocolate donuts and two cups of coffee. He brought breakfast back to the motel room where Marty was still sleeping. She looked like an angel, her long curls cascading over the pillow. "Uhhh... Marty," he spoke, sitting down on the loveseat and clutching the coffee cup in his hand. She stirred a little, muttering something in her sleep. After a moment, she came awake, looking at him.

"I thought you were a dream," she said softly as she sat up in bed, looking at him.

"No, I'm no dream. It's me in the flesh in blood," he lightly chuckled.

"What time is it?" Marty asked, slightly disoriented. "How long have I been sleeping?"

"I dunno, it's somewhere after 10:30," he answered with a shrug. "I got us breakfast. Are you hungry?"

"10:30?" Marty gasped. "Why did you let me sleep so long?"

"I thought you needed your rest. Let's have some breakfast... and talk about what we are going to do; how I'm gonna get my life back..."

"Breakfast? Okay... alright," she agreed, reaching for a steaming mug of coffee Todd had extended to her. She took a little drink, finding it bitter, but since she very much needed the caffeine, she could not complain.

"Ohhh, and here are some yummy, nutritious chocolate donuts," Todd said with a little grin, giving her the sugary treats wrapped in clear plastic.

"Nice," said Marty, as she accepted the food.

"So what are you using for money, considering you can't very well access your bank account right now? This motel is crap, but you had to pay for it somehow as well as this food," Marty observed.

Todd took a sip of his coffee, then answered Marty's question. "I found money in the wallet of that Agent Kent guy who showed up in Dorian's yard and nearly hurt Sam. There was also a credit card and I've been using that, too," he replied. "It's not like I had any other choice. I had to survive."

Marty nodded. "Yeah, but they can trace the credit card back to you, whoever these people are... It's just as matter of time before they find you. How much cash do you have left?" Marty asked, knowing that she hadn't a penny to her name, and like Todd, she couldn't possibly access her back account or go back to her apartment. If she did, they would find her.

Todd pulled the leather wallet from his back pocket, withdrawing a handful of bills. It wasn't much, but it would get them by for a few more days. Marty wasn't sure what they would do once the money was gone. "We need to find another place to stay," Todd said. It was just a matter of time before someone traced him to the Minute-Man Motel since he had used Agent Kent's credit card. In desparation, he had even used the man's cell phone to place a couple of calls. Now he didn't just have himself to protect, he had to keep Marty safe, too.

"Where can we go? We have to be careful. If someone sees us, I'll be put back in St. Anne's... and I am scared of what could happen to you. What will HE do if he finds out you are roaming around Llanview?" Marty said worriedly. "I think we need someone to help us, Todd. We need to tell someone."

"No! I don't trust anyone!" Todd exclaimed. "I've been wandering around Llanview for days now. No one has seen me. I have been listening... spying..."

"I've been trying to find out why everyone seems to think that ASSHOLE is me. There's no one we can tell right now. No one we can trust. Right now, Marty, all we have is each other..."

"What about Vicki? She could help us, Todd," Marty encouraged.

"We need proof first. Some sort of proof that shows that I am me and that he is a fraud," Todd insisted. "We have to break into his- my office. We'll search it from top to bottom and find out what he might be hiding. And while we are there, we'll place a bug in his phone, so when he makes his calls, we can listen in and find out why he's pretending to be me. Maybe we will find out who's in on this with him and why they have stolen my life."

"Alright, Todd. We'll do it your way," Marty sighed after she had finished her cup of coffee. "And when the money is gone or when it isn't safe here anymore, we either gotta go to Vicki for help... or find a safer place to stay."

"What's the matter, Marty?" Todd asked dryly. "Don't like the cozy accomidations?"

"I think rats have better accomidations," she stated, looking around the room in disgust. "The walls are paper-thin and I bet all sorts of low-lifes hang out at this place."

"Yeah, only dirt-bags and scum hang out here, so it was the perfect place for me to hide out. Not like I am gonna see anyone I know here, considering it's on the edge of town," Todd replied. "And you're right about the walls being paper-thin. I swear someone was doing a porno in the room next to this one the other night..."

Marty shuddered, feeling uneasy at the topic of conversation. Quickly she moved to change the subject. "Okay, so tonight we break into the office at The Sun... but what will we do till then? Surely we'll do something. We can't very well stay in this room all day..."

"First we're going to do a little shopping and get the equipment we need to bug that asshole's phone," Todd stated. "Then we'll carefully check in on my kids; making sure everyone is okay. And if it's possible I'd like to see Hope."

"We need to be careful, Todd. If he sees you, I really don't know what he will do. If he finds out you are in Llanview, he just might do something rash. Someone could end up hurt."

"By now, everyone's probably heard you've escaped St. Anne's. I wonder, what was his reaction to that?"

"He probably doesn't like it much. We had a huge argument when he last came to see me..."

Placing his coffee cup aside, Todd looked at Marty curiously. "He came to see you at St. Anne's? What did you argue about?" he asked.

"Yes, he showed up there to taunt me because Cole had been sent to prison. And I begged him to tell John that Natalie's baby Liam wasn't Brody's child, but John's. We argued for awhile, then he promised me. He swore he'd talk to John and tell him the truth about Liam's paternity; that I had changed the DNA results," Marty spoke with a heavy sigh. "But I know him too well. He hates me... and he hates John and Natalie even more. I know without a doubt he lied."

"So now he thinks you are coming back to Llanview to expose him considering he knew Liam's paternity and chose to keep that piece of information quiet?"

"Who knows what he thinks," Marty said with a heavy sigh as she got out of bed and sat upon it's edge. "I think he would do anything to make the lives of others miserable."

"I hate that scum more and more every minute," Todd said as Marty was reaching for her duffel bag. She needed to get dressed and shower. She really didn't want to stay in this dismal motel room a moment longer. She and Todd had so much to do if he was going to regain his life, his fortune, and his children.

"I'll take my shower, then we can get out of here," she said as she made her way over to the bathroom.

Todd sat there on the loveseat, staring down at the package of donuts in his hand. He had lived on junkfood from the vending machine for the past few days. He was ready for some real food and hoped that soon, he'd have a better place for himself and Marty to stay. Marty was right; they couldn't stay here much longer. It just wasn't safe. Maybe after they had placed the bug in the imposter's office, they'd finally have some answers. Who was this man who had overtaken his life? And why had he been locked up for all those years?

A few minutes later, Marty emerged from the bathroom, fully showered and dressed. For a moment, Todd just stared at her, thinking she looked so incredibly beautiful. He had to mentally shake himself as he had been entranced, amazed that after all these years she still got to him. "Todd?" she said softly, not missing the faraway expression on his face.

"Let's go," he said, taking her arm and leading her from the motel. Marty looked dazed as she allowed Todd to lead her away.


	4. Megan

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the love story of Marty and Todd. It also includes several other characters as well as their storylines. This story will be submitted in several parts and is based off the hit soap One Life to Live, yet the "history" has been changed somewhat to suit the purposes of this story. Not all the parts of this story will contain erotic sex scenes as there is a plot. First and foremost, this story is a romance/drama, not a sex story.

Also, I'd like to note that I do not own ABC's One Life to Live or the characters and I will NOT be receiving any payment whatsoever for writing this story. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.

This story takes place BEFORE Marty attacked and killed her psychiatrist, stabbed Kelly, and pushed Natalie from the roof at Angel Square. In this story, those events will not happen. This is my take on the two-Todds story including Marty and with an eerie or supernatural twist. Hope you enjoy the story...

~*o*~

As Todd and Marty drove away from Llanview via Todd's "borrowed" car, he couldn't help the questions which bombarded him. Everything Marty had said the night before went rushing through his mind like a blazing inferno and for once in his life he had no choice but to admit to himself that he and Marty had unfinished business. They were two people still tortured by their tragic past and Marty had been right, they did need to face everything and deal with it head-on, so that they could finally heal and move past it.

"Marty, we need to talk," said Todd softly, almost hesitantly.

Marty glanced over at Todd as though she knew that this was coming. The questions. She had dropped a bomb on him last night. Of course he would have questions. She didn't mind to give him answers, although her heart had been encased in ice for so very long, stiff, silent, and frozen; and with every word that moved past her lips, it had began to thaw, now suseptable to the blinding pain she had kept hidden for almost two decades.

"It's okay, Todd. I am ready to talk... I need to talk," she answered, her voice just barely audible.

"Tell me about the baby," Todd encouraged, trying to watch the road when all he really wanted to do was hold his gaze on Marty.

"The Spring Fling happened on May 9th. And that summer, you had been sentenced to Statesville Prison. Not long after, I started... becoming sick. I had been taking my medication and following the doctor's orders, yet no matter what I did, I couldn't seem to get better. I started losing weight, and I was unable to keep food down, so I went to Larry for some answers. I was sure he'd say it was my Lupus, give me some more medication, and I'd end up perfectly fine ... but that's not what happened. He did some tests... and told me I was pregnant."

"Pregnant..." she said with a tiny laugh. "With my messed-up life, that's exactly what I didn't want to be. Immediately I thought it had happened from that horrible night, the night you and your frat buddies tied me to a bed and took turns raping me, and had that been the case, I would have terminated my pregnancy that very day without a second thought."

Marty took a deep breath, struggling with the intense emotions which gradually resurfaced as they were forever coupled with those long-ago memories. "But Larry insisted on an ultrasound and come to find out, I was too far along. I had been feeling so sick and preoccupied with the rape for so long, I had no awareness that I was even pregnant. But by then, I was already in the second trimester."

"There was no doubt about it, Todd. The baby was yours because there was no one else I had been with during the three months prior to the Spring Fling. I begged Larry to help me. I didn't want anyone to know. I had already been through so much. My health was fragile, and I couldn't deal with the constant stares and whispers should anyone find out I was expecting a child I had conceived with the man - the man who had... raped me," she said softly.

"With Larry's help, I managed to keep my pregnancy a secret. I kept to myself most the time, and nobody seemed to question it. I guess everyone thought I was entitled to some isolation, after all I had been through. I thought I was going to get away with it, that no one was going to find out... " Marty said as she struggled to control the anxiety brought on from the raw memories being awakened. "Probably no one would have, but I had an accident... and Megan found me lying at the bottom of the steps..."

"When I came to, I was bleeding and in so much pain. Megan was there, holding my hand as they took me away in the ambulance. I just kept crying, 'Please, please let my baby be okay.' I knew it was too soon. I knew that if I gave birth then, there would be no hope... The pain was so intense, so horrible... like nothing I have ever experienced before. When I got to the hospital, I begged Larry, 'Do whatever you have to do, but please... just save my baby.' Larry promised he would do all that he could, but despite all of his efforts, my water had broken and there was no way he could stop the contractions. The baby was coming and I was only 6 months along..."

Glancing at Marty as he drove, Todd looked horrified. The pain she went through struck him deep inside like a dagger ripping through his heart. "My God, Marty... the hell you must have gone through..." he spoke. "I should have been there..."

"You were in prison, remember?" Marty reminded as she drew in a ragged breath. At that moment when she had gone into premature labor, she had never felt so alone. Her parents were dead, her aunt was in Ireland, and the man she had loved during the time of the baby's conception was now in prison for having raped her.

"I had Megan there... and Larry didn't leave my side. It all happened so fast. All I can remember is blinding pain... and fear. I didn't think I'd survive something so entirely awful, but I did. I survived but our baby didn't..."

"I barely made it to the hospital and right when I got there, the baby was born. I begged Larry to let me see her... to let me hold her. I knew she wasn't going to make it, and I wanted to tell her good bye. I held her in my arms. She was so tiny and beautiful. I cuddled her and told her I loved her, and then a few moments later, she took her last labored breaths. Sh-she died," Marty said as hot tears stung at her eyes. "I guess after that, I sort of lost it. I just remember sobbing and screaming and begging Larry to do something, anything to make my little girl better... but he couldn't..."

"They practically had to pry her from my arms. I didn't want to let her go," Marty said in a soft little whimper. "Megan held me and we both cried. I cried until there were no tears left. And in that moment of clarity, I became frozen. I encased my heart in the thickest ice, because it was the only way I could stop the horrendous agony. My baby, our little girl was gone..."

"And I didn't want to think of it. I absolutely refused to discuss it, because I thought that was how I could protect myself. If I could pretend or convince myself it never happened, I could sheild myself of my own sorrow. Now I realize I was wrong. It wasn't until the loss of my baby with John that those memories I had kept frozen for so long came rushing back..."

For a moment Todd was speechless, not knowing what to say. His eyes stung with unshed tears, yet he had no clue what he could possibly say or do to comfort Marty. "I'm so sorry, Marty. So sorry," he heard himself speak, thinking those words sounded meaningless and lame. How could an apology now possibly give her any type of solace after the unbelievable suffering she had gone through?

Marty brushed away her stinging tears, looking at Todd. She too was at a loss for words. A thousand disjointed memories of that long-ago tragedy assaulted her as she struggled to take control of her raw emotions. "It's okay now..." she finally spoke. "It was a long time ago... and I made it through it, I survived. And today, we have other worries, don't we, Todd?"

Todd realized Marty was closing the door on that subject, at least for now. He let out a long, heavy sigh. "That's right we do..." he responded. "Just one more question. What was her name? What name did you give to our little girl?"

"Her name was Megan. She's buried beside Larry and Meredith's baby daughter," replied Marty. "Please, Todd. I can't talk about this right now. It's just too painful. And I've held it all inside for so long. Can't we talk about something... anything but this?"

"Alright, let's talk about what are plans are for today then," spoke Todd as they pulled up at a hardware store within a small town near Llanview. "We'll go in and get everything we need to bug the phone in my office. Then I suggest we get something decent to eat. We'll have lunch, then head back to Llanview. I want to see my kids, make sure everyone is okay. And I'd like to see Hope as well..."

"Todd, we have to be careful. If he catches us... well, if he does, I don't think it's gonna be good," Marty said nervously as they got ready to exit the car.

"HE better stay out of my way," Todd said with gritted teeth. "And if he touches you or does anything to harm anyone I love, I will kill him with my bare hands."

Marty's eyes widened, hearing Todd's words. She more than anyone knew that Todd would take whatever measures necessary to keep his family safe. She also couldn't help but notice that Todd had put her first in his statement, and she found herself suddenly wondering, *What exactly does that mean?*

"Todd, don't do something stupid," Marty warned, flashing him a look of almost-annoyance.

Todd said nothing as they went into the hardware store. A few minutes later, he paid for the necessary equipment he'd need to implant an audio surveillance device inside the telephone at The Sun. After they got the shopping out of the way, Todd drove them to a little drive-in restaurant across town. "I'll have a pizza burger, fries and an extra-large chocolate shake," said Todd as he placed his order.

"I thought you said we were having REAL food now," Marty said, gazing over at Todd while rolling her eyes.

Todd smirked at her. "Order a salad then if you want, Marty. No one's stopping you," he responded.

"I'll have a taco salad and a large Ocean water," Marty finally ordered as she did her best to curb the sudden urge to smack Todd. He continued to smirk, gazing at her in the short distance in between the seats of the car.

While they waited for their food, they made light conversation as Marty caught him up to speed about everything that had been going on in Llanview during his absense. He was interested in knowing about what had been going on with Jessica, his sister, Vicki, and everyone else he had been separated from for so very long. He had missed so much, and he didn't like it at all. He blamed the imposter as Marty continued to tell him everything he had missed. Why had that man stolen his life? And the thought of that ... that imposter putting his hands on Marty, making love to her, it made Todd want to pulverize the guy.

After their lunch, the returned to Llanview, and Todd headed straight over to Dorian's. "Be careful, Todd. All we need is for us to get caught. I'll end up in St. Anne's... and who knows what they'd do if anyone saw you..." Marty warned.

After parking the car, they approached the house on foot as memories started flooding back for both of them. "Remember the night you brought me here, and we...?" Todd started as he and Marty hid in the shrubbery out back by the pool.

"Shhhh..." Marty said in a whisper, softly pressing a finger to his lips. At that moment, someone opened the sliding doors out back, coming out to the pool. Todd's heart contracted, feeling Marty's touch upon his lips, his skin elecrified at her tender touch. For a second, he forgot all about why they were here, but then they heard voices.

"Let's play in the pool!" a little boy's voice called out. Todd looked over through the tangled leaves of the hedge, seeing Sam walk outside with his sisters.

"Dani?" Todd said in a soft gasp. "Is that my daughter?"

Todd continued to gaze at the teenage girl who was the perfect blend of himself and Tea. Immediately he wanted to go to her and introduce himself as her father and get to know her, but Marty held him back. She had grab him by his arm to keep him from going to his daughters. "Todd, please... don't get us both caught," she implored him.

Todd let out a frustrated groan, looking at Marty as he knew she was right. "Okay, we'll just listen," he said softly with reluctance.

Sam got into the pool, playing with a giant multi-colored beach ball as his sisters stood near the edge of the water. "What's going on with Dad and Jack?" Dani asked Starr.

"I don't know, but it isn't good. I heard them fighting this morning. Dad came to pick up Jack for work, and as usual Jack wasn't ready. Dad yelled at him and called him a 'little pain in the ass,'" Starr explained. "I know Jack has been frustrating... but Dad is out of control. Treating Jack that way isn't going to help the situation."

"No kidding," Dani agreed. "Dad yelled at Mom this morning, too. Something's wrong with him, Starr. Sometimes he scares me..."

As they listened to Starr and Danielle talking, Marty could hear Todd's breathing increase. Looking into his face, Marty saw a furious storm brewing in his eyes. "Come on, Todd," Marty urged. "We better go now." It was crucial she got him out of here now, before he did something they'd both regret.

"But I haven't seen Hope yet," Todd said regretfully as Marty tugged on his elbow as though to drag him away.

"I miss her too, Todd, but we gotta stay hidden," Marty reminded. "Please..."

Todd looked down into Marty's face, knowing they had been here long enough. "I want to go check on Tea next," he said as they were carefully making their way back to the car without being seen.

"Now isn't the time, Todd," Marty insisted as the two them climbed into the car. "You have a tapping device to get ready back in the motel room, remember?"

Todd nodded, although he didn't like it. Not one bit. That asshole had overtaken his life... and very soon, he wanted to take everything back. Everything that had once been his, Todd Manning wanted to reclaim.


	5. Secrets

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the love story of Marty and Todd. It also includes several other characters as well as their storylines. This story will be submitted in several parts and is based off the hit soap One Life to Live, yet the "history" has been changed somewhat to suit the purposes of this story. Not all the parts of this story will contain erotic sex scenes as there is a plot. First and foremost, this story is a romance/drama, not a sex story.

Also, I'd like to note that I do not own ABC's One Life to Live or the characters and I will NOT be receiving any payment whatsoever for writing this story. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.

This story takes place BEFORE Marty attacked and killed her psychiatrist, stabbed Kelly, and pushed Natalie from the roof at Angel Square. In this story, those events will not happen. This is my take on the two-Todds story including Marty and with an eerie or supernatural twist. Hope you enjoy the story...

~*o*~

Dressed in all black, Todd and Marty had broken into the office of The Sun. Todd had the tapping device in hand. "I'll place this device into the phone while you take a look around for any sort of clues which may tell us who this imposter may be and why he has overtaken my life," Todd said to Marty quietly as he approached the desk and reached for the phone.

Marty just stood there, a strange expression on her face, and Todd began to wonder why she was acting so odd. "What is it? What's wrong?" he asked, snapping her out of her trance.

She looked at him with her midnight-blue eyes. "Nothing... I was just thinking about..." She stopped herself before she could elaborate any further.

"You were just thinking about what? Tell me, Marty," Todd prompted.

"I can't," she said softly, unable to meet his gaze.

"Ohhh no, I don't like this... " Todd said with a heavy sigh. "You're hiding something from me. We said no more secrets, didn't we, Marty? Now what is it? You better just tell me now."

"No, I'm not going to discuss it here. I'll tell you as soon as we get back to the motel," Marty said grudgingly.

"Alright. But as soon as we get back to the motel, you better be ready to spill," spoke Todd as he began applying the tapping device. Soon the phone was geared to record all of the imposter's conversations. From the motel, Todd and Marty would have access to any correspondence taking place using that particular telephone.

While Todd took care of the phone, Marty had been looking around the rest of the office, searching the desk and file cabinet. Her efforts were unsuccessful as she hadn't been able to find anything that could possibly help Todd with his endeavor. "There's nothing here, Todd," Marty stated. "Let's go back to the motel before we get caught."

Seeing that she urgently wanted to leave, almost as if she were afraid to stay a moment longer, Todd too was ready to hightail it out of there. He took Marty's hand in his and lead her out of the office. In his "borrowed" set of wheels, they returned to the Minute Man Motel. It had been a long day and a very emotional one, and Marty was exhausted.

"Can't we just go to bed now?" she asked Todd hopefully as soon as they had entered their motel room.

"No, not until you tell me what had you acting so strangely back there at The Sun. No secrets, Marty, remember?" Todd urged. He waited for her to answer him, knowing what he was keeping hidden was the most momentous secret of all.

"Alright, Todd, I guess I'll tell you... but I hate this!" Marty exclaimed, tossing herself down on the bed as she looked greatly upset.

"Tonight wasn't the first time I broke into HIS office," she admitted. "I wanted revenge on him... so I searched his office before..."

"You did? And what did you find?"

"A disc," she said softly, once again unable to look him in the eye.

"What sort of a disc?" Todd prompted.

"A disc packed full of all sorts of information, some of it in code... " Marty said softly, still unable to keep eye contact with him.

"Where is the disc now? And why didn't you tell me about this before...?"

"I- I couldn't, Todd. I just wanted to destroy the Goddamn thing," Marty muttered.

"Why? What exactly is on that disc?" he demanded.

When she wouldn't answer him, he became more forceful, raising her chin and making her look at him. "Tell me, Marty. What's on that disc?"

"There's a lot of mumbo-jumbo on there all in code in which I do not understand..." Marty said softly, finally spilling it all out. "And then there are some videos he had taken..."

"You aren't going to like this, Todd."

"What sort of videos?"

"Videos of him that depict every single aspect of his life from the point in which you were gone. There are some with Blair, the kids, and even Tea," answered Marty. "There are even videos of him ... with me..."

Todd sucked in his breath. "Don't tell me that bastard-," he growled.

"Yep, he must have had cameras everywhere... even in the bedroom," she spoke softly, tearing her gaze away from his.

"He's so gonna die," Todd hissed, hating the imposter all that much more, knowing how distressed Marty was about the contents of that disc. What kind of a sick freak was this guy?

"Where is it? I need that disc. I have to crack the code. If I have the disc, I will be able to find out why they locked me up for all those years ... and why that asshole has overtaken my life."

"I don't want you to see it, Todd," said Marty, shaking her head. "I'd rather die than let you see it..."

"Ohhhh, c'mon, Marty... It's my life we are talking about here. We have to stop this guy. And I need to get my life back. You promised to help me. Please." Todd stood there, almost begging.

Looking at him, Marty knew he was right, but it was so damn hard to relinquish that disc. She felt as though it contained all her dirty, little secrets she had been trying for so very long to hide. If Todd saw them, it was going to crush her.

"No, I can't," she said softly, but her barriers were breaking down. She knew she had no other choice but to hand over the disc.

"Marty, listen to me... you did nothing wrong. You loved the guy. He made you fall in love with him. He tricked you into his bed. No matter what I see on that disc, it's only going to make me hate him more. I could never blame you," Todd assured her. "Give me the disc."

Quietly she stood, going to her duffel bag. She unzipped it and retrieved the plastic case from the bottom of the bag where it had been buried under her clothes and other items. She approached Todd, the disc in hand. "If I give you this, you have to make me a promise..." she bargained.

"Alright," said Todd as he waited for her to hand it over to him.

"When all of this is over and you have your life back, you will do two things for me. Not just the one."

"Whatever it is you want; it will be yours," agreed Todd. "I'd do anything for you, Marty." As he gazed at her then, he meant every word.

With silent reluctance, Marty placed the disc into Todd's hands. Although the thought of him viewing it's contents was disquieting, the reward would be far greater. When the imposter was out of the picture and Todd had his life back, Marty would then make her demands. Todd had absolutely no clue what he was getting himself into when he agreed to grant her requests. So, when the time came, she hoped and prayed he would not back out.


	6. Danger

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the love story of Marty and Todd. It also includes several other characters as well as their storylines. This story will be submitted in several parts and is based off the hit soap One Life to Live, yet the "history" has been changed somewhat to suit the purposes of this story. Not all the parts of this story will contain erotic sex scenes as there is a plot. First and foremost, this story is a romance/drama, not a sex story.

Also, I'd like to note that I do not own ABC's One Life to Live or the characters and I will NOT be receiving any payment whatsoever for writing this story. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.

This story takes place BEFORE Marty attacked and killed her psychiatrist, stabbed Kelly, and pushed Natalie from the roof at Angel Square. In this story, those events will not happen. This is my take on the two-Todds story including Marty and with an eerie or supernatural twist. Hope you enjoy the story...

~*Chapter Six - Danger*~

Marty awakened in their motel room at the Minute-Man Motel to find that Todd had let her sleep in once again. Sunlight streamed in through the window as Marty turned over in the lumpy bed to find Todd setting up all sorts of tech equipment around the room. "What in the world-?" Marty gasped, as she sat up in bed. She had never seen so much techinical equipment in all her life.

Todd grinned at her. "Just setting up the sound system for the audio survelliance equipment," Todd told her as he pointed out the pieces of equipment. "And this baby here is gonna help me decipher whatever that code is on that disc."

"Todd," Marty softly scolded. "Where did you get the money to buy all this stuff? From Agent Kent's credit card, right?"

"Yes, but I had to get this equipment. It's important I discover the information on that disc, so I can get my life back and expose the imposter."

"I understand that, but using the credit card puts us in danger. The transactions can be traced, leading whoever held you captive to us here," Marty warned.

Todd nodded, because he was aware that their time before they were discovered was short. "I know that, Marty- that's why I've decided that tonight will be our last night here in this dump. After that, I am taking your advice, and you and I are going to Vicki for help."

"She can let us stay in her cabin, her gate house, or even her tool shed for that matter," Todd said with a little laugh. "I'm going to keep you safe. I promise you that."

Marty gave him a smile then crawled out of bed. She headed into the bathroom to shower and get dressed for the day. *Only one more night in this rat-hole of a motel*, she was thinking as she showered and got ready for her day. She knew that Vicki would help them. Soon, they'd have a better place to stay. Marty was sure of it.

Marty came out, fully dressed, her hair yet damp from the shower. She went to Todd's side, hearing some static coming forth from the speakers. "What's that?" Marty asked, looking at Todd.

"I think Would-Be Todd is making a phone call," Todd replied, turning up the sound so he and Marty could hear the conversation.

Someone had answered the call. A woman. She sounded like an older woman, perhaps around Vicki's age. "It's about time you called me," she spoke in a hateful voice.

"'I'm sorry. I've been preoccupied. Marty Saybrooke has escaped from St. Anne's," came the voice of Todd2.

"We have worse troubles than that, my boy," said the woman. "Number One has escaped as did Number Three. I have reason to believe they are both headed for Llanview. I think Number One is already there."

"I was afraid of that. Number One would go straight to Marty Saybrooke. Without a doubt, I believe they are together."

"Agent Romeo AKA Number Three will be looking for her as well. And when he finds her, that ought to keep her occupied for a while," laughed the woman, her voice a sarcastic cackle.

"She won't know what hits her- when he gets to her," said Todd2. "I'd like to get my hands on her..."

"I bet you would, Son. All in good time. You will have her soon, I promise," stated the woman. Looking at Todd, Marty thought she was going to upchuck.

"I need to get the disc back. There's too much information on it. If anyone deciphers that code-," Todd2 spoke in a worried voice.

"No one will. All our information is safe. I have agents scouring Llanview right now looking for Number One and Number Three. Orders are to bring them back, and if we must, we will kill them both..."

"And Marty?"

The woman let out a sinister laugh. "She's a present for you, Son. Whatever my little boy wants, he shall get..."

"I gotta go now, Mother. Jack will be here in a few minutes."

The call ended and the static had returned. Todd turned off the device, sighing deeply. He had a strange look on his face. "Who the hell was that woman?" he asked.

"Todd2's mother?" Marty concluded.

Todd didn't know what to think of the call. Now that it had ended, it was time for him to concentrate on the disc. He was determined to decipher the code, even if it took him hours. "I'm going to examine the disc now," he said as he popped it into the computer. Immediately images came up on the monitor. It was sort of like watching a home movie of Todd2's life after Todd had been abducted. He saw Blair, his kids, Tea, all of them with Todd2, laughing and having fun. It wasn't fair. This man had taken his life. And then there was Marty. Todd sucked in his breath, seeing her with the imposter, happy and in love. He had really duped her. Todd picked up the nearest thing he could get his hands on, crushing it in his hands. Marty watched as Todd mutilated a styrofoam cup, demolishing it. Tears shone in her eyes, and one slowly slid down her cheek.

Gazing at her, Todd caught the teardrop on his finger. He raised the finger to his lips, kissing the salty tear away. "I'm sorry he hurt you, Marty," he said, and he meant every word.

"I thought he was you."

"I'd never hurt you," Todd swore. "Been there, done that. And I could never do it again."

"I can't watch any more of this video. I gotta go," Marty said as she reached for her purse.

"Where are you going?" Todd asked, looking worried.

"Just for a little walk. I'll stay safe."

"Be careful," Todd insisted. Part of him wanted to stop her, make her stay here with him where she would be protected, but he knew that watching the contents of the disc was unbearable for her.

"I'll be back soon," Marty promised as she headed out the door.

With a heavy sigh, Todd went back to watching the video. There was about two hours of footage remaining, all of it from Todd2's life as he was masquerading as him. The sex scenes made Todd enraged to the point of violence. If Todd2 were there in the room, he'd be a dead man. "That fucker is going to die," Todd hissed as the images played out on the screen.

"He took my life. He hurt Marty. He will pay," Todd bit out. "It's just a matter of time."

The video footage ended and now the screen was filled with words and numerals, all in code. As Todd looked at the screen, he forgot to breathe. Yes, it was in code, but he was able to translate it in seconds. He had no knowledge of where he had learned that particular code, but it was filed somewhere in the recesses of his brain; another mystery he had yet to discover.

He deciphered the code, finding it to be a series of commands, presumably for Todd2.

Command One - Make everyone in Llanview believe you are Todd Manning.

Command Two- Make Blair, Starr, and Jack love and trust you.

Command Three- Make Tea and Dani love and trust you.

Command Four- Make Marty Saybrooke love and trust you.

Command Five- Kill Victoria Lord.

Command Six- Impregnate Marty Saybrooke.

Command Seven- Wait for further instruction.

"What the fuck?" Todd yelled, disbelieving what he was reading. Kill Vicki? Impregnate Marty?

He stood up quickly, arming himself with Agent Kent's deadly weapon. He had to get to Vicki and warn her. And why had he allowed Marty to go out there unprotected? That Agent Romeo guy could be stalking her... or perhaps even Todd2 who had been commanded to impregnate her. He had to find Marty... and fast!


	7. Multiplicity

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the love story of Marty and Todd. It also includes several other characters as well as their storylines. This story will be submitted in several parts and is based off the hit soap One Life to Live, yet the "history" has been changed somewhat to suit the purposes of this story. Not all the parts of this story will contain erotic sex scenes as there is a plot. First and foremost, this story is a romance/drama, not a sex story.

Also, I'd like to note that I do not own ABC's One Life to Live or the characters and I will NOT be receiving any payment whatsoever for writing this story. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.

This story takes place BEFORE Marty attacked and killed her psychiatrist, stabbed Kelly, and pushed Natalie from the roof at Angel Square. In this story, those events will not happen. This is my take on the two-Todds story including Marty and with an eerie or supernatural twist. Hope you enjoy the story...

~*Chapter Seven - Multiplicity*~

Marty had gone to the vending machine in back of the Minute-Man Motel in search of something to eat. She pulled some coins from her purse and got ready to insert them into the snack machine. There wasn't much selection, but she thought she might try some of Todd's favorite chocolate donuts again. Coffee sounded good as well, so after she got the donuts, she would try her luck at the hot beverage machine. Usually the coffee it dispensed turned out bitter and hardly fit for consumption, but Marty had decided the caffeine it provided would far outweigh it's acrid flavor.

Marty had taken a seat on a wooden park bench in the picnic area behind the motel, snacking on her breakfast. The coffee really wasn't so bad when coupled with the sweet chocolately flavor of the donuts. As she finished off the donuts and coffee, all Marty could think about was the disc and the video Todd was watching. Even though much time had passed, it still hurt her deeply to think of the weeks she had spent with Todd2 in his home and how deeply she had once loved him. The love she felt for him was exquisite and all-consuming, but all he had given her was heartache and lies. Still even now, she could not think of it without tearing up. Why had he tricked her? And had she meant anything to him at all?

She hoped that by decoding the disc, she and Todd could get some answers. Both of their lives had been ravaged by Todd2 and whoever that evil woman was he had been speaking to on the telephone. All of this made no sense. Who was Agent Romeo? And why did any of these people have a reason to cause harm to herself and Todd?

Marty stood up to throw away the wrapper from her donuts and the sytrofoam coffee cup. She tossed the items into the trash can and began walking back toward the park bench when someone grabbed her, wrapping their muscular arms around her tightly. A scream rose in Marty's throat but it was stiffled by the man's huge hand. "Don't scream," a strangely familiar voice commanded. "I won't hurt you."

Twisting slightly in the man's imprisoning embrace, Marty got a glimpse of her captor. Suddenly all the blood had rushed away from her face. Unbelievably, she was staring up into the countanence of her late husband. *Patrick!* her mind screamed before she fainted dead away in his arms. A half-smile upon the man's lips, he lifted Marty effortlessly into his arms.

When she awakened later, she was lying upon a bed and the man was seated next to her. She looked at him in vivid shock as she sucked in her breath. "Patrick?" she spoke with disbelief, staring at the man before her who looked exactly like her husband whom she thought had died nearly a decade earlier. How in the world could this possibly be Patrick?

His eyes were the same rich chocolate-brown, his shoulders still so broad and muscular. Like her husband, he possessed those same chestnut curls, but instead of the locks tumbling wildly over his broad shoulders, they had been pulled back now with a single black band. He shook his head as he looked at her, the expression odd upon his face. "I'm not Patrick," he answered with an accent which seemed foreign upon his lips.

"Not Patrick?" she responded, perplexed by the odd accent he had just used when had spoke to her. Had it been Italian, French, or perhaps it was Spanish? She really didn't know. But most importantly, it was not Patrick's Irish brogue. It was his voice, but that was not his infamous accent.

"No, my name is not Patrick," he replied. "They call me Agent Romeo or sometimes they refer to me as Number Three, but neither of those are my name."

Looking at her, his gaze was locked to her lips; her soft kissable lips. He wanted them. God, how he wanted this woman. He ached for her. It had been so long. So very long. And he had to have her.

"What is your name then?" Marty demanded, sitting up in bed. Marty didn't like how this man was looking at her, and his proximity was disconcerting. He certainly LOOKED like Patrick, but that's as far as it went. Marty did not think that this man was her husband.

He laughed, his voice a low sexy rumble in his chest. "I'd love to tell you, but then you'd run from me. I don't want you to run from me, Marty. I have waited a long, long time to have you in my arms..."

"Listen, whoever you are, you have a face that looks just like the man I loved and married. I want some answers from you. Exactly who are you?"

"I'm the man you fell in love with once upon a time," he responded as he gazed into her eyes. "We made hot, passionate love. And after it was over, you begged me to stay..."

Marty's eyes went huge. This guy was really creeping her out. What the hell game was he trying to play?

"Stop it!" she cried out. "Just tell me who you are!"

He scooped her up in his arms, pressing her tight against his chest. "Don't you recognize me, Marty. Look deep into my eyes!" he insisted.

"Don't look at the man you see...the face. Look deeper. Below the disguise. Do you see it now? You see it... don't you?"

"What am I supposed to see?" Marty asked in an almost-whisper.

"Todd," came his whisper as his lips decended onto hers. She fought him for only a second, then she found herself giving in to his passionate embrace as she wrapped her arms around him tightly, kissing him as she had longed to be kissed for so very long.

Then after a moment, she began to struggle and it took every once of her willpower to push him away. "You aren't Todd," she said breathlessly. "Tell me who you are. TELL ME NOW!"

Still holding her close while gazing down into her lovely face, he spoke. "There was a time when we were One, but she separated us. She captured Todd and made him her prisoner. The rest of us were scared, but Todd was brave and courageous," he said softly. "But she hurt Todd. She did terrible things to him. She broke him down."

"Who is she?" Marty asked in a whisper.

"Todd's mother- Irene Manning. She did things to Todd. Awful things. Experiments and torture. And then came the mental extraction."

"What's that?"

"She tore apart his mind and ravaged his very psyche. And that night, I was born."

Marty nearly stopped breathing. "What is your name? Who are you?" she repeated.

"My name is Rodd," came his answer. "The Lover."

~*o*~

After discovering the commands Todd2 had been given, Todd hurriedly left the motel room, intent on finding Marty. He looked around outside, but couldn't find her a single sign of her. He searched about fifteen minutes, but she appeared to have vanished. He cursed himself for allowing her out of his sight. No doubt she had walked right into danger and had been nabbed by Todd2 or even that Agent Romeo guy. He decided it was time for his sister to know of his existence. He would go over to Vicki's and "surprise" her. And then together, the two of them could search for Marty.

As he got in the hot-wired vehicle and drove away, he silently prayed that Marty would be safe. The two of them had already been through so much. He hated being separated from her now, even for a few hours. *Marty, please be alright,* he was thinking as he drove toward Llanfair. He had to warn his sister and make sure that those he loved were safe from harm. He hoped while he was went to talk to Vicki, Marty would return to their motel room. If he came back later, and she was still gone, there would be hell to pay. And he vowed that Todd2 would be the bastard paying the price.

Once he had arrived at Llanfair, Todd found his sister in the garden, watering her flowers. "Hey, sis," he said, slowly approaching her with a small smile upon his face.

"T-Todd," she gasped, shock and disbelief prominent upon her face.

"Yeah, it's me. In the flesh and blood. No ghosts this time, Vicki," he said with a little smirk as he referred to the time she had discovered him in the cemetary just after his return from Ireland when he had been presumed dead.

"You... you can't be Todd."

"I am Todd, the one and only... and that other guy, that asshole, he's nothing but an imposter. He took my kids, my life, my fortune... and I want it back. I want it ALL back. I have been imprisoned the past eight years, but I'm back now, Vicki. Your brother is back."

Vicki just shook her head. "You can't be real. You can't be really Todd."

"I am. And Vicki, I'm here to protect you. The imposter, whoever he is, has been taking commands from a woman in power. For some reason, they locked me up, and he took over my life. I don't know what they were trying to gain, but Marty had this disc, and I deciphered the code, and there were commands on it-."

"Marty? Are you the one who broke her out of St. Anne's?" Vicki then asked. "Natalie said that someone with her uncle's old face had helped Marty escape St. Anne's."

Todd nodded. "I needed help, so I went to Marty. I helped her escape St. Anne's, and the two of us have been staying at the Minute-Man Motel. I needed proof that that asshole took over my life, and the proof is on that disc. Now I need to find out why... and stop him. Vicki, you have to help me," Todd nearly pleaded.

"I- I don't know... " Vicki said hesitantly. "How do I know you are really Todd? That you're telling me the truth?"

"Vicki, listen, there is no time for you to stand there and question my identity," Todd said urgently. "Marty's in trouble. While I was deciphering the disc, she disappeared, and there's a chance the imposter got her."

"You have to help me find Marty," Todd implored.

Looking at him, Vicki could see the desperation in his eyes. He looked just like her brother, and he sounded just like her brother. How could she not help him? "Alright," she said with a heavy sigh. "I will help you, but I hope I do not regret this..."

~*o*~

It all sounded like something out of a horror or science fiction movie to Marty. Irene Manning really couldn't have picked apart Todd's mind, could she? How could that even be possible?

"Why do you look like Patrick?" Marty asked.

"Irene said she wanted to make me appealling to you, so you would want me. She captured your husband, making you think he had been killed. But when she did the mind extraction, the part of Todd which is me, entered the body of Patrick Thornhart. I was born, and Patrick died," he told her.

"What about the imposter Todd? He's Number Two, right? Who is he?" Marty demanded, afraid of the answer.

"He's Pete, Todd's dark-side," responded Rodd.

"Ohhh myyy God," Marty gasped as a shiver went through her body. "I should have known. He scared me so much. And at times, he seemed like Todd, and that's because he was. He is. He's the darkest side of Todd."

"I will protect you from him," Rodd said, looking down into her dark sapphire eyes. "I've wanted you for so long, Marty. You don't know how long I have wanted you. Go away with me. I'll keep you safe."

"No," Marty said, trying to slip out his arms. The urge to wrap herself up in his embrace and forget everything was overwhelming. She had to get back to Todd. THE real Todd. Surely he was looking for her by now.

"But with me, you can have everything. Romance. Passion. Ecstasy. I am all that is good and passionate in Todd. I'd never hurt you. I'd never rape you..."

"But you aren't Todd," Marty said, shaking her head. "You're just a part of him. And you have Patrick's body. There's no way I'd ever-."

Just then, they heard a voice calling out. "Marty!"

"That's Todd," Marty said excitedly as she lept out of bed.

"I can't let you go to him," Rodd said as he pulled her against his chest and bound his arms around her so tight.

Twisting in the man's grip, Marty bit his arm and in that very same instant, her knee had shot up hard into his groin. He let out a groan of pain, utterly defenseless for a moment as she ecaped his embrace. "Todd!" Marty screamed, rushing toward the door. She scrambled to pull it open, anxious to escape Rodd AKA Agent Romeo. Whoever he was, she wanted away from him now!

As Marty stepped out into the sunlight, she ran right into Todd, hitting his chest hard. "Marty, are you alright?" he asked, seeing the frantic look on her face as though she were running from someone.

"Todd, we gotta get out of here... NOW," Marty insisted, but it was too late. The man who looked just like Patrick had followed Marty outside.

"Ohhh no, not you again!" Todd hissed, giving Agent Romeo a look of disgust. "I thought I got rid of you when I escaped that stupid place! Get the hell out of here, Thornhart!"

Betrayal ripped through Marty when sudden realization struck that Todd had known about this man's existence all along. Why hadn't he told her? Todd had thought that her husband was alive and well, but he hadn't even bothered to tell her of that fact. After all those talks about telling the truth and not keeping secrets, it wounded her unbearably that Todd had kept this from her.

"Todd, that isn't Patrick," Marty spoke.

"Then who is it?" Todd demanded.

When Marty didn't immediately answer, Todd withdrew the gun from his pocket, aiming it at the other man's chest. "Somebody better give me some answers pretty damn fast or this clown is going down," Todd said in a hiss.


	8. Betrayal

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the love story of Marty and Todd. It also includes several other characters as well as their storylines. This story will be submitted in several parts and is based off the hit soap One Life to Live, yet the "history" has been changed somewhat to suit the purposes of this story. Not all the parts of this story will contain erotic sex scenes as there is a plot. First and foremost, this story is a romance/drama, not a sex story.

Also, I'd like to note that I do not own ABC's One Life to Live or the characters and I will NOT be receiving any payment whatsoever for writing this story. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.

This story takes place BEFORE Marty attacked and killed her psychiatrist, stabbed Kelly, and pushed Natalie from the roof at Angel Square. In this story, those events will not happen. This is my take on the two-Todds story including Marty and with an eerie or supernatural twist. Hope you enjoy the story...

~*Chapter Eight - *~

"Someone give me some answers now!" Todd hissed, glaring at the man he held at gunpoint.

A couple of moments passed and no one said a word, so Todd got ready to pull the trigger. But to his shock and horror, Marty stepped in front of his target. "I can't let you do that, Todd," she insisted bravely. "Put the gun away."

"Get out of the way, Marty," Todd commanded, his hand shaking as he knew he had came so close to shooting the woman he loved.

"No, Todd. I can't let you kill him," Marty responded.

"Todd! Marty!" a voice called out as Vicki rounded the corner. What she saw stopped her in her tracks. Her brother had a gun and it was aimed at Marty and a man Marty was protecting.

"What in the world?" Vicki gasped as she moved closer. That's when she caught a glimpse of the man directly behind Marty.

"Good heavens! Patrick?" Vicki exclaimed.

Todd was taken off-guard by Vicki's disruption, and Marty managed to snatch the gun from his hand. In the same instant, Agent Romeo took off running. Todd nearly went after him, but Marty grabbed his arm. "Let him go!" she insisted.

Todd tried to shrug her off, but she held onto him tightly. "Todd, we need to talk," she bit out.

"What's going on?" Vicki asked. "Was that Patrick?"

"Vicki, I'll explain everything later," Todd promised his sister. "But right now I want you to go to the police station and tell them your life has been threatened and get help. That asshole who has been impersonating me has been programmed to kill you-!"

"Ohhh Todd, surely not!" Vicki said in horror.

"I saw it on a disc Marty stole from his- my office at The Sun. He's been given commands from some higher power. Vicki, your life is in danger. Stay clear of him and do whatever you have to do to protect yourself," Todd urged.

"Alright, Todd. But you and Marty be careful," Vicki said as she kissed Todd's cheek. Vicki gave Marty a warm hug, then left to go to the police station.

After Vicki had gone, Todd turned his attention onto Marty. "Thank God you are alright. I was so worried when I couldn't find you," Todd said as he gazed at her with relief.

But Marty only glared at him. "Todd, you deliberately lied to me!" she said in a growl.

"I had no other choice," he responded although he knew his reasoning was lame.

"Come on," she said as she began walking back toward their motel room where they could argue in private.

Once they stepped into their motel room, and he had closed the door, Marty let him have it. "After all that talk about being honest and not keeping secrets, you told the BIGGEST lie of all!" she cried out.

Todd put his arms across his chest, meeting her angry gaze. "Yes, I did, but I had my reasons."

"I'm sure you did," Marty said sarcastically.

"You didn't want me to know that the man you thought was my husband was alive, because you wanted me for yourself!" Marty accused.

"No-!"

"YES! You deliberately betrayed me, Todd. Everything you said to me was lies. I can't even TRUST you!" she yelled.

"No, that's the only thing I kept from you. I swear it!"

"Why, Todd? Why didn't you tell me that you thought my husband was alive?"

"Because you love- loved him so much... and I-," Todd spoke, but suddenly he just stopped mid-sentence.

"Alright... you're right. I did it because I am selfish, okay?" Todd admitted. "For once I wanted your attention on me. On US."

Giving him a look of disgust, Marty headed toward the door. "Marty, come back!" Todd called after her, but she was too furious to remain in the room with him another moment. She walked blindly out of the motel room and outside into the sunshine. Her eyes were filled up with angry tears.

Todd went after her, but it was too late. She had been grabbed and tossed into a car. "Marty!" Todd screamed as Todd saw the car quickly speed away, but not before he had caught a glimpse of the driver of the vehicle. It had been the same man who had been impersonating him for the past eight years. The man whom had been programmed to impregnate Marty had just abducted her.


	9. Unfinished Business

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the love story of Marty and Todd. It also includes several other characters as well as their storylines. This story will be submitted in several parts and is based off the hit soap One Life to Live, yet the "history" has been changed somewhat to suit the purposes of this story. Not all the parts of this story will contain erotic sex scenes as there is a plot. First and foremost, this story is a romance/drama, not a sex story.  
>Also, I'd like to note that I do not own ABC's One Life to Live or the characters and I will NOT be receiving any payment whatsoever for writing this story. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.<p>This story takes place BEFORE Marty attacked and killed her psychiatrist, stabbed Kelly, and pushed Natalie from the roof at Angel Square. In this story, those events will not happen. This is my take on the two-Todds story including Marty and with an eerie or supernatural twist. Hope you enjoy the story...<p>

~*Chapter Nine - Unfinished Business*~

"Where are you taking me?" Marty asked Todd's alter-ego as she was tied up and bound in the back of his car.

He gave a wicked laugh as he sped away from the Minute-Man Motel with his precious cargo imprisoned in the backseat. "I am taking you to the scene of the crime. We have unfinished business, you and me."

*The scene of the crime?* Marty was thinking. "What is he-?* Sudden realization came to her as she fought all that much harder to escape the binding he had placed around her wrists and ankles.

"Why are you doing this to me?" she cried out when she found out her efforts to get away were useless.

"Because you are mine," he responded as he drove like a maniac to his destination.

"You won't get away with this. Todd will find you, and he'll kill you!" Marty warned.

Again he laughed. "I am counting on that. But when he shows up, it will be too late. You'll already be pregnant with my child."

"What?" she choked out in a broken sob. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I tried to impregnate you once before, during the time you and I were together..." he responded. "But you saw to it that you did not conceive. After your rescue you took a pill at the hospital that night, so you would be certain you would not carry my child. This time, I will complete my mission. I promise you that."

He had reached his destination and swerved into a parking spot. Marty's eyes were huge when he pulled her struggling body from the backseat. As much as she fought him, she was bound tightly and could not get free. "I hate you!" she hissed as he carried her into the building which should have been condemned long ago. Tears swam in her eyes when she realized exactly where he had taken her- the scene of the crime as he had called it; the KAD Frat house where she had been brutally gang-raped nearly two decades ago. Hoisting her up in his arms, Todd2 carried Marty swiftly up the staircase toward Kevin Buchanan's old bedroom.

Marty shut her eyes tightly, hating every single moment of this torture. She didn't want to be in THAT room again. Not ever. She wished this building would have burned to the ground years ago. After Powell's recent psycho rampage, why hadn't this place been demolished?

"Ahhhh, it's exactly as I remember it," spoke Todd2 as he pushed open the door with his foot and carried her into the infamous room where the raped had occured.

"Please let me go," Marty whimpered as he carried her across the floor and proceeded to tie her to the bed.

Terrible memories began to assault her when he secured her hands to the bedposts. For a moment, she panicked, screaming as she had that night so long ago. "Todd, let me go... please let me go," she pleaded, because that's who he was- a part of Todd; his alter Pete.

"Sorry, can't do that, Marty," he said as he stood there, gazing at her and seeing all the tears.

Gently he traced the trail of tears that slid down her cheek. His caress made her flinch which seemed to anger him. "What are you going to do to me?" she asked fearfully although deep down inside she already knew.

"I was nice before... but I'm not gonna be nice anymore. I took you back to my place. I cared for you. I nursed you back to health. I loved you! And you REJECTED me! You're gonna pay for that, Marty!" he exclaimed as he reached for his belt buckle. His movements were fierce as he began to free himself from the confines of his pants.

"Ohhh God, no!" she cried as horrific memories came to her of the rape that had taken place here all those years ago.

He let out a wicked laugh as he bent over her, lifting the hem of her skirt and savagely tearing away her panties. "God, how I've missed being inside you!" he said as he slid his hand forcefully between her legs.

His touch repulsed her as she renewed her struggle against her bonds. She began to pray for Todd's arrival. *Save me, Todd!* she called out to him in her mind. She knew he was her only hope as this monster, his alter-ego was about to rape her in the very same place she had been raped previously.

"I know who you are," she spoke as her would-be rapist came over her while she lay there on the bed. "You're not Todd- you're Pete, and Todd is going to kill you for this!"

"He's going to be too late," Todd2 hissed as he began to stab himself into her tight depths. But before he could complete the act, he was forcefully grabbed and thrown up against the nearest wall.

"Get away from her, you sick fuck!" Todd yelled as he viciously punched the man who had been impersonating him.

"It's too late! I already raped her!" Todd2 lied.

"No, he didn't!" Marty cried out as she watched Todd furiously attacking the other man.

"Todd, stop!" she eventually pleaded as there was blood everywhere, and Todd2 lay unconsious and barely alive.

Todd gave the other man a final kick in his privates then went to free Marty from the ropes which bound her to the bedposts. Immediately she went into his arms, crying against his chest. "Are you alright, baby?" he crooned to her, stroking her hair.

"Yes," she said softly as she clung to him so tight. "He didn't rape me, but he almost did."

"Get out of here and call the police. I'm going to take care of him," Todd insisted.

Looking at him in horror, she knew exactly what he meant. His intentions were to kill the other man; to dispose of him permanently. "You can't do that, Todd," Marty said to him urgently.

"Why the hell not?" Todd cried out. "That bastard tried to rape you!"

"Because he's... he's a part of you," Marty told him quietly. "And so is Agent Romeo. They are parts of your fragmented mind. Your mother, Irene Manning, kidnapped you and did some sort of mind extraction and somehow your alters were brought to life, Pete and Rodd."

"That makes no fuckin sense," Todd hissed. "My mother supposedly died years ago... and why would she-?"

Suddenly his voice trailed off as a disturbing memory stole his breath away. He was strapped to a chair while a woman tortured him, forcing him to tell her intricate details of his life. "Ohhh my God!" Todd gasped, nearly knocked to his knees by the haunting recollections.

"What is it?" Marty asked, seeing all the color drain away from Todd's face.

"I just remembered," Todd spoke, sounding weak and drained.

"Todd, we gotta get out of here," Marty pleaded. "Please take me away from this place."

Looking down into her beautiful face, Todd could not deny her request. He'd take care of Todd2 later, once he had Marty to safety. She pressed her cheek against his chest as he carried her from the room and carefully down the stairs. "Do you remember what happened now?" she asked him once they had decended the stairs.

"Yeah. I remember everything," he murmured as he was carrying her from the Frat house. "The torture, the mind extraction..."

"There was another man with my face at the compound. Presumably my twin," Todd told Marty. "Irene called him Victor. That psychotic witch sacrificed my own twin so he'd become Pete."

"I know," said Marty as the entire scenerio of Irene's henious plan was now coming to light.

After leaving the Frat house, Todd carried Marty to his "borrowed" set of wheels. "I gotta go back inside," he told her, but she pressed herself against his chest.

"Don't do it, Todd. You don't know what could happen if you kill him. He's a part of you!" she warned urgently.

"A part of me I despise," Todd hissed. "For hurting you, he deserves to die!"

"You'll be harming a part of yourself and ultimately, you don't know what that will do in the scheme of things. It could be like suicide!"

"Then so be it," Todd said as he shrugged off Marty's attempts to stop him. He sprinted back to the Frat house as she cried out his name in desperation. Tears rushed from her eyes as she was conflicted. Part of her wanted Victor/Pete/Todd2 to die for his crimes, but there was still a small part of her which possessed residual feelings for the man, despite everything. She had loved him once with all of her heart, and the thoughts of his demise did not comfort her.

*Todd, please come back,* she whispered to him in her mind as she saw him disappear into the Frat house.

A few minutes later, she got her wish when Todd returned to her side, looking dazed. "He got away," Todd murmured. "I went inside and saw that Agent Romeo guy and my evil mother dragging him out the back door. I tried going after them, but that bitch took a shot at me."

"Ohhh my God! Are you alright?" Marty gasped, looking him over fearfully for injuries.

"I'm fine, but we can't let them get away..."

"I'm going to Irene's compound. That bitch is going to die, and I'll do away with Agent Romeo and my doppelganger once and for all," Todd stated.

"I'm going with you, Todd-," Marty insisted.

"No!" he said firmly as all he wanted was to keep her safe. "You're staying with Vicki."

"You'll need my help to defeat Irene. Together we can find a way to integrate the parts of your fragmented mind," she told him.

"I'm going with you, Todd," she said adamantly before he could utter another word of protest. "I promised you I'd help you get your life back. And that's exactly what you and I are going to do!"

"Dammit, let's get the hell out of here then!" Todd grumbled as he knew for a fact that she wouldn't back down.

"But when we get there, we play it by my rules. Got it?" he growled as he looked deep in her eyes.

Reluctantly she agreed to his terms, then added, "It's almost over, Todd. Very soon you'll have your life back..."

Todd nodded; athough he knew he'd never have the one thing he needed the most of all. After it was all said and done, he'd have to let her go...


	10. Unity

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the love story of Marty and Todd. It also includes several other characters as well as their storylines. This story will be submitted in several parts and is based off the hit soap One Life to Live, yet the "history" has been changed somewhat to suit the purposes of this story. Not all the parts of this story will contain erotic sex scenes as there is a plot. First and foremost, this story is a romance/drama, not a sex story.  
>Also, I'd like to note that I do not own ABC's One Life to Live or the characters and I will NOT be receiving any payment whatsoever for writing this story. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.<p>This story takes place BEFORE Marty attacked and killed her psychiatrist, stabbed Kelly, and pushed Natalie from the roof at Angel Square. In this story, those events will not happen. This is my take on the two-Todds story including Marty and with an eerie or supernatural twist. Hope you enjoy the story...<p>

~*Chapter Ten - Unity*~

On the way to Northern Louisiana in pursuit of his mother's compound, Marty tried to talk some sense into Todd. It wasn't easy as he was hell-bent on destroying Todd2, Agent Romeo, and his mother. As they drove down the interstate in a vehicle they had borrowed from Vicki, Marty did everything she could to make him see reason.

"Before you do something rash, such as killing the both of them, we need to find a way to intregrate Pete and Rodd back into your pysche. If we don't, I think it could cause great harm to you, Todd. It could possibly even kill you. Both of them are a part of you, and you won't be the same without them," Marty told him.

"Maybe that's just as well. I don't need Pete. He hurt you. He attempted to rape you several times. In fact, he DID rape you!" Todd hissed.

"He's your dark-side, and I'm not denying he can be extremely dangerous, but you've changed, Todd. You went to rape counseling in prison, and you know how to control those impulses. You won't let him hurt me. That's why you are so adamant to destroy him. You hate that part of yourself. But as much as you hate him, he IS a part of you. And I don't want any part of you destroyed."

"Ohhh come on, Marty. Don't tell me you want the part of me that hurt you to live?" Todd said in a growl.

"Actually, I do. I love that part of you, too. I fell in love with Pete/Todd2 or whatever you want to call him. I didn't know he was deceiving me or he had sinister plans for me, but even so, I fell for him. I'm drawn to ALL the parts of you. And if you destroy any one part, it could be disastrous. I don't want to lose you," Marty implored him.

Glancing over at her as he drove, Todd didn't know what to make of what she had just said. Was Marty saying she was in love with him? Whatever the case, she had a valid argument. He needed to be cautious when they got to the compound. He didn't want to destroy his alter-egos if it meant he wouldn't be able to regain his life. He had come this far; he didn't want to ruin it all now.

"I'll be careful, Marty... I promise. But you need to understand, if it comes to protecting you or saving them; I'll always chose you. If I have to die protecting you, I will. You're all that matters," Todd said as he looked at her with tenderness.

She reached across the distance between their seats and took his hand into hers. She gave it a gentle squeeze. "We're going to get through this together, Todd. And you're going to get back to see your kids," she tried to reassure him.

Todd nodded because he hoped it was true. He hoped and prayed they made it out of his mother's compound alive. It was a race against the clock for them to get to the compound and storm the place before Irene's return. Hopefully they would find all the answers they needed once they got there, and eventually they could defeat and destroy the evil that was his mother.

By the time they got to the compound in Louisiana, both Todd and Marty were exhausted. In the past several hours, they had gotten very little sleep. They had taken turns driving while the other slept, but it had been an extremely long drive and a very tense one at that. Once they arrived, Todd could feel the adrenalin pumping through his veins. He was ready to take down his mother and be done with this nightmare.

"Listen, Marty, if we get in there and we're trapped, you save yourself, alright? Don't try to do anything heroic. It would kill me if anything happened to you," he said as he pulled her against him and held her for a moment before they went inside.

Marty wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly for a moment. Her heart was pounding because she was so scared. She knew that they might die during this mission, but it was something they must do. "We're in this together, Todd. We're both coming out alive," she told him.

*Or not,* she silently added.

After a few moments, she broke away from the hug and stared into his eyes. In that moment she had the sudden urge to kiss him. It took her breath away. Before he could realize her intention, she had brushed her lips against his in the softest of kisses. Todd felt as if his whole world had tilted on it's axis at the sweet sensation of her kiss.

The kiss had only lasted a couple of seconds and then it was over. "Let's do this, Todd," Marty said as Todd withdrew the gun from his back pocket.

"Stay behind me," Todd commanded as he worked to disarm the alarm system and they entered the rear of the compound. They were met with almost-darkness inside as they walked cautiously down the narrow corridors. "We're looking for my mother's lab or her office," stated Todd as they checked out the various chambers which made up the facility. After awhile, they had accessed some hidden chambers which were located below the compound.

"We're getting closer," Todd said as bits and pieces of his memory began to return to him. He had been held here for eight years, and he was able to remember where to find the various underground tunnels.

Finally, they had gone through a maze of tunnels under the compound until they had accessed a circular room with dome-like walls. It was Irene's secret lab. It was filled with millions of dollars of equipment and hundreds of secret files. "We really got our work cut out for us here," Todd stated as he showed Marty the shelving unit with all the files. "How are we supposed to know which of these files contains the content we need to integrate the parts of my fragmented mind?"

"Ohhh this isn't good. Everything is written in code," Marty said as she glanced over one of the files.

"A code in which I can read..." Todd said as he glanced over Marty's shoulder.

"What's it say?"

"A bunch of CIA crap," Todd responded.

"It's the wrong file. Not the one we need," he stated as he tossed it aside.

"Damn," she said as she reached for more files. After awhile, they had a tall stack of files on the floor, but no information yet to help them in their quest. Todd gave up and went to look at the equipment.

"I remember this machine. These are the Intregation Chambers," Todd said as he looked at the three cylindrical chambers which made up the machine. "I remember it clearly now. We were each put in one of the separate chambers. She flipped the switch... and it was incredibly painful..." Todd touched his forehead and winced as though he were reliving the agony he had endured from the fragmentation.

"I assume that we will need this equipment then when the time comes to intregrate. But until then, we must locate your mother's records. I don't even know how to work this machine," Marty spoke with a heavy sigh.

"Let's find my mother's office," spoke Todd. "I bet she hid everything there..."

"We have to hurry, Todd. They'll be here soon. And when they get here, we need to take care of Irene... and start the intregation."

"Don't worry; the memories are coming back to me. One by one. Her office is near here; I can feel it."

Not even ten minutes later, Todd had found a hidden panel which lead him directly to Irene's office. Once inside, they found everything they needed in her desk. There were dozens of video tapes showing Todd going through experiments and torture, documenting the hell his mother had put him through during the past eight years, plus the files needed which explained the mind extraction and how to work the machine.

"I have to hurry and read this. We don't have much time," Marty said urgently as she began reading over the files. She didn't want to do anything wrong and harm Todd during the intregation.

"Let's return to the lab. They'll be here soon," Todd said as he took her arm and lead her out of Irene's office. Together they grabbed the video tapes and the files and went back into the laboratory. Marty had barely had a chance to absorb the material in Irene's files when Irene arrived with Agent Romeo. Todd2 was helped into the room by a couple of Irene's goons.

"Well, well. We all meet again," Irene said with an evil cackle as she set eyes upon her son.

Todd raised the gun, pointing it right at her face. "You better do as I say, or you're all going to die," Todd said in a growl.

"I don't think you can defeat us all," Irene spoke with an evil laugh.

"I have enough bullets in my gun."

"You don't want to do that. If you destroy Number 2 or Number 3, you'll be destroying yourself."

Todd looked at the two goons who where helping Todd2 to stand. His alter-ego was in terrible shape from the beating he had given him earlier at the Frat House. "Put him in the Intregation Chamber... NOW," Todd insisted. "Do it FAST... or I'll shoot you."

The goons did as they were directed because they knew Todd meant business. Todd2 was placed in the glass cylandrical chamber and the door was closed, locking him inside. Todd breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that his evil alter-ego was now virtually harmless. "Now you, into the chamber!" Todd yelled at Agent Romeo.

Agent Romeo was forced into the second chamber. The door was sealed, and only one chamber remained. Once both Number 2 and Number 3 were locked inside, Todd turned the gun on his mother.

"Are you going to shoot me, son? I am your mother," she said in a sickening-sweet voice.

"A bitch like you doesn't deserve to have children. You sacrificed my twin brother to achieve your evil gain... and you nearly destroyed me. But guess what, I am much stronger than you gave me credit for. I fought my way out of here, and I am getting my life back."

With those words, Todd pulled the trigger. Irene fell to the floor in a pool of her own blood. Marty shook from the sound of the gunshot blast. Before the two goons could run away and possibly call for help, Todd shot both of them, too.

Marty had to step over the bodies to get to the Intregation Machine. "This is it, Todd," she said as she placed her hands on each of his shoulders. "You have to go into the machine... and we have to do this."

"I hope it's not as painful as the extraction."

"I hope it isn't either, but it has to be done."

"A kiss for luck?" he asked her softly.

Before she could answer him, he pulled her to him and kissed her. It wasn't a soft, exploratory kiss like the one they had shared earlier. It was a kiss of passion and desperate need. After it ended, Marty looked dazed.

Tenderly, Todd stroked her cheek. "Don't worry, Marty. When I come back out, I'll have my life back," he promised her as he stepped into the glass chamber. She closed the door behind him and secured the lock.

Marty moved to the control panel of the machine. She pushed a series of buttons and levers, carefully working to reverse the process which had fragmented Todd's psyche. After she was satisfied that she had hit the correct sequence, she pushed the red button in the center and waited for the result. Suddenly, all three of the men in the chambers let out painful, soul-shattering screams. When it was over, two of them were dead.

Marty rushed toward Todd's chamber and threw open the door. "It's over," she said as she touched his scarred cheek. "Are you alright?"

He mumbled softly, but he wasn't in any shape to answer her as of yet. She went to check on the other two men to find that neither had a pulse or respiration. As far as she could tell, the integration had been a complete success. By some miracle, she and Todd had defeated Irene's evil and now Todd was free to continue his life. He could go back to Llanview now and prove to everyone that he was the real Todd Manning.

With one last fleeting glance at the bodies of two men she once loved, Patrick and Todd2, Marty was ready to resume her life as well. She knew what she wanted, needed, and must attain to find happiness. She rushed back to Todd's side and helped him rise from the floor of the chamber. "Let's go home, Todd," she encouraged him. "I made a promise to you and I kept it. You can have your life back now."

Todd settled his gaze on her as she helped him leave the laboratory. "You kept your promise... now I gotta keep mine," Todd told her as they were leaving. "You said if you helped me, there were two things you wanted that I could give you..."

"Yes, I remember," Marty responded. "But let's worry about getting back to Llanview first so you can see your kids. Once you've regained your life, I will tell you exactly what it is that I want..."

"All I want now is food, sleep, and a hot shower."

"That's exactly what I want, too," she agreed with a laugh.


	11. The Aftermath

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the love story of Marty and Todd. It also includes several other characters as well as their storylines. This story will be submitted in several parts and is based off the hit soap One Life to Live, yet the "history" has been changed somewhat to suit the purposes of this story. Not all the parts of this story will contain erotic sex scenes as there is a plot. First and foremost, this story is a romance/drama, not a sex story.

Also, I'd like to note that I do not own ABC's One Life to Live or the characters and I will NOT be receiving any payment whatsoever for writing this story. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.

This story takes place BEFORE Marty attacked and killed her psychiatrist, stabbed Kelly, and pushed Natalie from the roof at Angel Square. In this story, those events will not happen. This is my take on the two-Todds story including Marty and with an eerie or supernatural twist. Hope you enjoy the story...

~*Chapter Eleven - The Aftermath*~

Marty couldn't believe it had been almost two decades since she had lost her daughter. Megan's death seemed so painful and senseless. As she stood over the stone in the cemetary looking at Megan's name- Megan Anne Saybrooke and her birthdate- November 27, 1993 (which was sadly also the date of her death), tears came to Marty's eyes. She remembered November 27, 1993 just like it was yesterday. That was the day she had held Megan for the first and last time. It was also the day she was forced to say good bye to her precious baby daughter.

"I'm sorry, Megan," said Marty as tears fell down her cheeks. "I went through your whole pregnancy in a blur. I never knew how much it meant to carry you; to feel you moving inside me. I never knew how much I would miss you till you were gone. Although so many years have passed, I still miss you so much. I'm sorry I held it all inside for so long. You deserve to be remembered for everything you were and everything you could have been. Today I ache inside because I finally realize how it was killing me to hold it all so deep inside my heart. I love you SOOO much, Megan."

As she spoke the words, Marty laid a small bouquet of pink roses over her child's grave. As she stood up from where she had been kneeling next to Megan's grave stone, she found she wasn't alone. There was Todd standing on the other side of Megan's grave. Marty almost lost her balance and fell as she hadn't been expecting to see him there.

"Todd... what are you doing here?" Marty asked him in quiet surprise.

"I followed you here," he answered. "You've been acting strangely the past few days and now I know why."

"Marty, why didn't you share this with me?" he asked as he looked at the date engraved upon the stone. It was November 27th which was today's date. "She was my daughter, too."

"I know, Todd... and I'm sorry," Marty responded softly. "It's still so hard for me to talk about losing her. I held it all inside for so many years. It was until my recent counseling at St. Anne's and the loss of my child with John that I was finally able to open up and begin to talk about Megan's death. I finally told you about our baby, because I just couldn't keep it inside any longer. The pain and tragedy of it was eating me up alive. I feel stronger now, so I was finally able to come here and bring some flowers to her grave site. I haven't stood here since the day of her funeral. But I hope she forgives me for not coming sooner. I think of her in that tiny little casket and it hurts so bad..."

"Of course she forgives you..." Todd said as he walked closer and wrapped his arm around her. "Marty, you were her mother. You nurtured and cared for her when I wasn't there. It's not your fault that she came too soon."

"Maybe it was my fault..." she said as new tears rushed from her eyes. "I fell down the stairs that day. I wasn't taking very good care of myself. I was living my life in a daze because you were in prison... and despite the fact that you were my rapist and you hurt me, I still loved you... and I was missing you."

Todd took her in his arms as sobs shook her. He held her against his chest and wrapped his arms around her tightly as all the tears and pain came rushing out. "I'm sorry, baby. If it's anyone's fault, it would be mine. I hurt you. I put you through hell," he said in a choking voice as he caressed her hair. "Our daughter is dead because of me. I didn't deserve her. And I probably don't deserve any of my kids."

"Don't ever say that, Todd," she said as she pulled away from him. "You're a good dad. Starr was so happy to see you when you came back and we proved you were Todd Manning. She loves you so much. And Dani and Jack are going to warm up to you, too. You're a wonderful dad... and I've always known that. Any kid would be lucky to have you as their father..."

"Do you truly mean that?" Todd asked as he looked into her eyes.

"I do," she said as she held his hands in hers. "I wish Megan had known you, too."

Todd looked down at the pink roses that lay on the grave. "I wish we still had a child together, Marty. What did she look like?"

"She was so tiny, but she was beautiful. And perfect. She had dark-blond hair... and dark-blue eyes."

"Your eyes?"

"Yes," she said with a little smile. "Larry said she was the prettiest little baby he ever saw..."

A sudden tear rushed from Todd's eye. He turned away, trying to pull himself together. He wanted to stay strong for Marty, but he was dying inside. The urge to blame himself was so great as he had hurt her so much then and deserted her with his carelessness. If he could only make up for it now. She had helped him get his life back, and he hadn't even repaid her for it yet. He wouldn't feel better until he had granted her requests, whatever they may be.

"Marty, we are in Llanview now... and I have my life back now. It's time to talk about what it was you wanted," Todd reminded her.

Marty hestitated because she didn't know how Todd would react to her requests. If he refused her, it was going to totally devastate her. "Alright, Todd. Let's go to the car... and we'll talk."

Marty had walked to the cemetery, so she got in Todd's car with him. He started the vehicle and turned up the heat so they could become warm again in the chilled November air. "What did you want, Marty?" Todd questioned.

"You... I want you," she told him.

"What do you mean by that?" he quietly asked.

"I want to be with you," she admitted. "I still love you, Todd."

Todd stared at her in a deep state of shock. He couldn't believe the words falling from her lips. Marty wanted to be with him? Even after all the had done? He felt as if he couldn't breathe. He was immediately terrified. He had this sudden urge to get out of the car and escape.

"Marty, I- I can't..." he said solemnly.

"I know," she said softly and sorrowfully. "You're just not ready. I don't expect you to be with me... not yet..."

"I could never ask that of you... that will only be if you are ready..."

"But there are two other things you could give me though. I'd like you to go to counseling with me. We can talk about our past, about losing Megan, and everything we've been through. Maybe someday we'll be ready and we could be together."

Todd stared at her, deep pain within his eyes. Could he rehash everything with her again? Could he even bear to go back there, to their painful past?

"What else?" he asked her quietly.

A moment passed and then she finally pushed the words passed her lips. "I want to have your child..." she stated.

Todd just stared at her in shock. He didn't appear to be taking the news well.


	12. Future Hope

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the love story of Marty and Todd. It also includes several other characters as well as their storylines. This story will be submitted in several parts and is based off the hit soap One Life to Live, yet the "history" has been changed somewhat to suit the purposes of this story. Not all the parts of this story will contain erotic sex scenes as there is a plot. First and foremost, this story is a romance/drama, not a sex story.

Also, I'd like to note that I do not own ABC's One Life to Live or the characters and I will NOT be receiving any payment whatsoever for writing this story. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.

This story takes place BEFORE Marty attacked and killed her psychiatrist, stabbed Kelly, and pushed Natalie from the roof at Angel Square. In this story, those events will not happen. This is my take on the two-Todds story including Marty and with an eerie or supernatural twist. Hope you enjoy the story...

~*Chapter Twelve - Future Hope*~

Marty waited, but there was nothing but dead silence. "I better drive you home," Todd stated, as he backed the car out of the drive-way and left the cemetary.

"Todd, you have to talk to me..." Marty prompted gently.

"I'll go to the counseling with you. It won't be easy, but I'll do it; because I agree, we do have a lot to still work out. But having a child together, Marty- I don't think we are both prepared to deal with the repercussions," Todd told her. He didn't look at her as he spoke; he couldn't bear to see the disappointment in her eyes.

"I lost my parents when I was very young. I lost Cole. He's in prison, and I can't even get in to see him right now, considering I kidnapped Natalie's son and escaped a mental hospital. I lost Megan... AND my baby with John. I also lost Patrick... and I don't want to lose you, too," Marty said to him sadly.

"You'll never lose me. I already told you that. I'm going to be always there for you, no matter what happens," Todd promised her.

"Don't you see that after everything I've lost, I truly want a child with you? A child would bring us so much future happiness. I'm in my 40's now, Todd. My child-bearing days are coming to a close. It's now or never."

"Marty, remember when I said I would do anything for you?" Todd asked as he took his eyes off the road a second and gazed at her. "I meant it. If you want a child, I will give you one... but I don't see how that's going to happen. After what happened between us... after I hurt you, I have so much pain trapped deep down inside myself. I don't think I could-."

"I know... and I understand, Todd," Marty responded. "I don't think we are ready to take that step. When I asked you to give me a child, I was talking about artificial insemination. You wouldn't have to touch me at all, and you could still give me a baby."

"You mean you'd go to a fertility clinic and get knocked up using my sperm?" Todd asked her.

"Well, yeah... that about sums it up," Marty stated as she couldn't help but smirk a little from his choice of words.

Todd thought about it as they neared Marty's house on the outskirts of Llanview. It was a beautiful little cottage surrounded by tall trees. It was isolated and absolutely gorgeous. When Todd bought it for her, he wanted her to have her own place to build a brand-new start. It was so picturesque that he spent a great deal of his time there as well. He had a room at the palace hotel, but he was usually only there for sleeping. He was trying to rebuild his business at The Sun, spend time with his kids, and reconnect with Marty.

They pulled up in the driveway and saw Starr's car there as well. "Starr is here with our little granddaughter," Marty said to Todd with a smile.

Todd parked the car and glanced over to see his daughter standing on the walkway, holding little Hope in her arms. When his eyes caught upon that precious little girl that was a part of him and a part of Marty, too, he knew he could not deny Marty her request. She had suffered so much, and he wanted to give her something to brighten all the gloom from her past.

"Alright... I'll agree to the artificial insemination," he said as he placed his gaze on her.

His heart turned over as he saw her face light up in the most beautiful smile. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him so tightly. "Thank you, Todd," she whispered. A dozen emotions overtook her as tears stung at her eyes.

"Just make the appointment at the counseling service... and at the fertility clinic. Whenever you need me, I'll be there," he said as he returned her lingering hug.

Just then Starr walked over to the car and cautiously opened the door. "Is everything alright, Dad?" Starr asked when she saw Marty's tears.

"Everything's just fine, Starr," Marty stated as she left Todd's embrace and wiped away her tears. "I'm glad you and Hope are here. Would you like to come in and have tea?"

"I'd love that. Hope wanted to come over and see her grandma. I didn't know Dad would be here, too," Starr said with a smile.

"Come here, Peanut," Todd said as he stepped from the car and reached out for his little granddaughter. Hope went into Todd's arms and lay her little head on his shoulder. Todd hugged her so tight as he rubbed her little back.

Marty got out of the car, too and went to unlock the front door. Soon they had all gone inside and taken a seat in the spacious living room. "I just love your cottage here, Marty," Starr stated. "It's so breathtaking. I just wish Cole could be here as well. I miss him so much, and Hope misses him, too."

Todd sat near the fireplace with Hope on his lap. "When's he getting out of prison?" he asked.

"His sentence is for nine years, but he's up for parole in three," Starr explained. "Hope might be seven years old before her dad gets out."

Todd frowned. He hated to see his daughter, Marty, and little Hope suffer in Cole's absense. He had only heard good things about Cole from his daughter. Cole had made many mistakes, but he deserved a second chance. He more than anyone knew that.

"I will see what I can do," Todd stated. "A little girl shouldn't have to grow up without her father."

"Are you going to talk to the governor or something?" Starr asked hopefully. "Are you going to try to get Cole out of prison early?"

"I can't make any promises, Shorty. But I will look into it."

"Thank you, Todd," Marty said softly. No other words would come. She was moved to tears, but blinked them away. If Todd could reunite her with her son Cole, it would be a dream come true for her.

"You're welcome, Marty. Don't you have a phone call or two to make?" Todd asked her. They looked at each other a moment, but no words were exchanged. Words weren't necessary as they spoke to each other with their eyes.

"You're right, I do. You and Starr make yourselves at home and continue chatting. I'll go into the kitchen to make the calls and prepare the tea."

As she walked from the room, Todd's eyes followed her. After she had gone, he returned his attention onto Starr and his adorable granddaughter. "Dad, what exactly is going on between you and Marty?" Starr asked quietly.

"It's complicated," he stated, a little smile coming to his face.

"Are you in love with her?" Starr questioned.

"Always have been... always will be," Todd responded.

"I'm glad she's back in your life, Dad," Starr said as she rose to give her dad a hug.

"I'm glad YOU are back in my life, too. I missed you, Shorty," Todd said as he hugged both Starr and Hope at once.  
> <p>


	13. Courage

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the love story of Marty and Todd. It also includes several other characters as well as their storylines. This story will be submitted in several parts and is based off the hit soap One Life to Live, yet the "history" has been changed somewhat to suit the purposes of this story. Not all the parts of this story will contain erotic sex scenes as there is a plot. First and foremost, this story is a romance/drama, not a sex story.

Also, I'd like to note that I do not own ABC's One Life to Live or the characters and I will NOT be receiving any payment whatsoever for writing this story. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.

This story takes place BEFORE Marty attacked and killed her psychiatrist, stabbed Kelly, and pushed Natalie from the roof at Angel Square. In this story, those events will not happen. This is my take on the two-Todds story including Marty and with an eerie or supernatural twist. Hope you enjoy the story...

~*Chapter Thirteen - Courage *~

Todd and Marty had arrived at Ray Martino's psychiatric practice. Todd was feeling incredibly nervous. Marty was much calmer. When Ray called them into his office, Todd almost got up and ran out, but Marty took his hand in hers and gave him an encouraging look. "We can do this together," she said to him softly. "It's Ray, Todd... and he's going to help us." He nodded and followed her into Ray's office.

"Hey, Todd. Nice to see you again. And hello, Marty," Ray said as he greeted them both and shook their hands.

"It's really been a long time," he added with a hint of a smile.

"How you doing, Ray?" Todd asked his former therapist whom had helped him with his rape counseling years ago when he was an inmate of Statesville Prison.

"I'm good. And how are you?"

"You tell me. You're the head shrinker," Todd said with a small smirk as he found a nice comfy seat in the corner of the room.

"Todd's feeling a bit uneasy about our therapy session," Marty stated as she sat down in a chair close to Todd.

"That's an understatement," Todd quipped.

"Why are you feeling uneasy, Todd?" asked Ray.

"I don't like to talk about my feelings much. I don't like laying them all out there where everyone can see them," responded Todd.

"Why don't we let Marty start then? Why are you and Todd here?" Ray questioned Marty.

"I'm here because I love Todd. We've both gone through hell... as you know. And we need to leave the past behind us and concentrate on what we'll have for our future," Marty replied.

"What kind of a future do you want with Todd?" Ray asked.

"I- I don't know. I don't want to... push him into anything. I know none of this is easy for him. It's not easy for me either, but I'm ready to discuss everything, deal with what happened, and move on," she answered. "I want something beyond the constant pain and the turmoil. What I need is Todd."

"Todd, are you ready to talk about the past and everything that happened?" asked Ray.

"I... can try," Todd said as he gazed at Marty with so much admiration. As usual, she was so courageous. He had decided to give their therapy his all, so hopefully they could work through the majority of their issues.

"Let's talk about the past then. Let's talk about what happened the night of the Spring Fling," Ray encouraged.

Every muscle in Todd's body tensed at the mere mention of that particular night. "Marty, have you forgiven Todd for his actions that night?" Ray questioned.

Marty took a deep breath, then looked over at Todd. Slowly she expelled the trapped air in her lungs as she nodded. "Yes, I think for the most part, I have. I know he regrets what happened. I know he had so much hurt trapped deep down inside and so much rage. As much as that memory still hurts, I forgive him."

"Okay. Todd, how about you? Have you forgiven yourself for your actions the night of the Spring Fling?" Ray asked.

"No. I still hate myself for hurting her. I don't know how to ... let it go..."

"We'll have to work on that. The important thing is that you realize that Marty is ready to forgive you, and she would like to move on from that night. She doesn't want to stay trapped in the past," Ray stated. "Do you think you'd like a to have a future with Marty?"

"I- I don't know. I am not sure if I can..." Todd answered. "I can't... hurt her again..."

"Todd isn't ready," Marty said softly. "He needs more time."

"Okay. Just one more question, Todd. Do you love Marty?"

"Yes. I always have. And that's why I hate myself so much," Todd spoke with a heavy sigh. "I want to make it up to her, but I don't know how..."

"Alright, we'll end it right there then. And we'll discuss the past in further detail during our next session," Ray stated.

"Thank you, Ray," Marty said as she stood to shake his hand. "Todd and I truly appreciate your help."

Ray gave her smile. "You're both very brave to come here and talk things out. I truly believe I can help you."

Todd didn't look convinced as he spoke an abrupt good-bye and left Ray's office. He waited for Marty in the car. A moment later, she climbed into the vehicle. "I take it you didn't tell Ray about our appointment today at the fertility clinic?" Todd asked as he started the vehicle.

Marty shook her head. "Uhhh no... I am not gonna tell anyone about that... until- until it's successful... and I'm pregnant."

"Yeah, I suppose it might take a time or two," Todd said as he drove out of the parking lot.

"Or maybe longer. Are you sure you're willing to keep trying as long as it may take?"

"I'd do anything for you, Marty," Todd said sincerely. "I'm going through this counseling stuff with you, although it's sheer hell. You know that I'll hate that a HELL of a lot worse than I am gonna hate contributing my 'sample' into a small sterile cup so they can use it to inseminate you."

Marty nodded, because she totally understood. "I know it isn't easy," she told him. "But I hope in time we'll both find some peace."

As they approached the fertility clinic, there was silence. They were lost in their own thoughts. "Are you ready for this?" Todd asked her quietly. "Are you absolutely sure this is what you want?"

Marty nodded as she looking into his eyes. "I want to have your baby, Todd," she responded.

"Alright. Let's do this then," Todd spoke as he exited the vehicle.

"How- how long will it take?" Todd asked as they stepped into the building.

"Not sure. Not long I don't think. Maybe about 45 minutes."

"Okay. I will wait for you in the car then..."

"Alright. Thank you, Todd... and I- I'll see you soon..." she said as they lingered together near the front desk.

Todd nodded as he didn't know what else to say. Marty had informed the receptionist they had arrived for their appointment. Moments later, Todd was lead off toward a private room where he could contribute his sample for the insemination. Marty was lead down a different hallway and prepped for the procedure. She tried to relax as she got undressed and slipped on a hospital gown. As she lay back on the exam table, images of Todd and the small sterile cup filled her head. She closed her eyes as she waited for the doctor's arrival. She wanted this whole thing to be over, but more importantly, she wanted it to be a success. Knowing that there was a chance she'd be disappointed brought tears to Marty's eyes.

"Please let this work," Marty was thinking.

Doctor Marshall finally arrived and prepared to start the procedure. The doctor explained step by step the insemination process. "You may experience slight cramping considering the sperm will be injected into your uterus via a catheter. It's important that you avoid strenuous activities for the remainder of the day," stated Dr. Marshall.

"Alright," Marty agreed as the doctor inserted a speculum and began the procedure.

"Just do your best to relax and think pleasant thoughts..." the doctor encouraged. "The insemination is usually painless, but there could be cramping..."

Marty tried to relax during the procedure. "How soon will I know if it worked?" she asked once the doctor had finished.

"I recommend waiting 12 days. Then you can come in for a blood test. The test is very reliable. If you don't want to come in for a test, you can wait to see whether or not you get your period."

"Thank you, Doctor."

A few minutes later, Marty joined Todd in the car. "How'd it go?" he asked her.

"Okay, I think."

"Do you feel any different?"

"I'm not sure," she responded.

"I hope it worked," he stated. "I guess we'll know soon enough."

"How did it go for you?" she asked him.

"Ohhh it wasn't so bad. I just had to cum in a cup..."

"It sounds like it was much better for you than it was for me."

A look of almost-pain crossed Todd's face. "I wish I could... give you EVERYTHING you need..." he said to her.

"I think we'll get there in time. Right now I just want THIS to work," she told him as she reached for his hand. She pressed it to her lips and lightly kissed each of his fingertips.

"I should have given you a kiss earlier... for luck," he said as he gazed at her.

"It's not too late. You can still kiss me," she responded softly. "For luck."

He reached across the bucket seats of his vehicle, pulling her to him for a long sensuous kiss. Her body went up into flames with the passion he gave to her. Eventually Todd broke the contact, announcing it was time he took her home.

"It's been a long day," Todd said with a heavy sigh when they arrived back at her place.

She nodded in agreement. "Yes, it was long... but I think we made progress."

"I think we did, too," he agreed with a little smile.


	14. Strength

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the love story of Marty and Todd. It also includes several other characters as well as their storylines. This story will be submitted in several parts and is based off the hit soap One Life to Live, yet the "history" has been changed somewhat to suit the purposes of this story. Not all the parts of this story will contain erotic sex scenes as there is a plot. First and foremost, this story is a romance/drama, not a sex story.  
>Also, I'd like to note that I do not own ABC's One Life to Live or the characters and I will NOT be receiving any payment whatsoever for writing this story. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.<p>This story takes place BEFORE Marty attacked and killed her psychiatrist, stabbed Kelly, and pushed Natalie from the roof at Angel Square. In this story, those events will not happen. This is my take on the two-Todds story including Marty and with an eerie or supernatural twist. Hope you enjoy the story...<p>

~*Chapter Fourteen - Strength*~

"Todd, I need you. Please come over," Marty said to him on the phone. She sounded like she was choking on her tears. He rushed over, wondering why she sounded so upset.

When he got there, she pressed herself against his chest, holding onto him so tightly while she cried. Todd wrapped her up in the strength of his arms, looking down at her with tenderness and concern. "What is it? What's wrong?" he questioned.

"It didn't work," she told him sadly. "I'm not pregnant..."

"You're sure?" Todd asked. Several days had passed since the insemination, but to him it hadn't seemed like all that long. Surely it was too soon to tell.

"Did you go to the doctor and get a blood test?"

"I could have... but I didn't. I decided to wait instead," she answered as she struggled to calm herself and stop the flow of her tears. "I got my period so there's no need for a test now."

"Damn... I'm sorry. I know how much you wanted-."

"What if it doesn't happen? What if something's wrong with me, and I can't get pregnant again?"

"I don't think anything's wrong with you. Sometimes it just takes more than one time," said Todd as he lead her over to the couch. He eased Marty down onto it's surface as he continued to hold her, stroking her hair in a soothing gesture. He wished he knew some words to make her feel better. She was crying as if her heart was breaking.

"Don't cry, Marty. We'll try again. As many times as it takes," he assured her.

"I don't want to go through it again. The disappointment is too much."

"Maybe next time you won't be disappointed. Maybe next time, it will work."

"Are you sure?" she asked as he snuggled her against his chest.

"Yeah, I am sure it will happen when the time is right," Todd responded as he kissed the top of her head. "No more tears. We have our counseling session later today."

"I've missed you, Todd. I haven't seen you much these past few days."

*Since the insemination,* she silently added.

"I know, babe. I was busy at The Sun. And I..." His voice trailed off. It had been difficult for him, because he knew how much Marty wanted a baby; and to have seen day after day, the longing in her eyes and her excitement would have been agony him. Especially now, knowing there wasn't going to be a baby. He tried to hide it, but he was just as disappointed as she was. He wanted Marty to be pregnant with his child.

"You were avoiding me," she said softly. "Why? Was it something I said during our last counseling session?"

"No. Absolutely not," Todd responded. "It hurts me, too... knowing that it might take several attempts for us to get pregnant. It makes me wish I..." Once again, his voice trailed off, and he couldn't get the words out.

"Makes you wish what, Todd?" she prompted.

"That we could do this the ordinary way. That I could make love to you and just be done with it," Todd stated as he looked into her eyes. "But I can't. I just can't."

"Todd, I don't blame you for this. I understand why you can't... and I'm not pushing you," Marty assured him. "Do you truly want a baby just as much as I do?"

"Yes," Todd said in a voice heavy with longing. "I can't wait till that moment when you tell me the news - you're carrying my child... and I'm going to be a dad again."

She gave him a little smile. He leaned forward, gently kissing her lips. "I love you," she said to him in soft whisper as she caressed his cheek. He didn't say the words, but she could see the love shining in his eyes.

~*~o~*~

A few hours later, they were at their counseling session. "Last time we were planning to talk about the past. Marty, would you like to start?" Ray offered. "What would you like to talk about today?"

"I'd like to talk about Megan," responded Marty.

"Who's Megan?" Ray asked.

"Megan was our daughter," Todd answered.

"I didn't know that you and Marty had a daughter," Ray said to Todd.

"No one knew, except my doctor and a couple of very close friends," Marty spoke up. "I kept my pregnancy to myself, because I was fragile emotionally and not prepared to deal with the constant stares and comments should anyone discover I was expecting my rapist's child. Megan was conceived the night Todd and I had consentual sex."

"I had a very difficult pregnancy. I nearly lost Megan several times. I made it to my sixth month, then I had an accident. I slipped on the staircase, and Megan was born far too early. She only lived a short while," Marty explained as tears stung at her eyes. "After she died, I dealt with a great deal of guilt. I felt as though it was somehow my fault, because I was under so much stress. I thought that if maybe I had taken better care of myself, Megan might not have died."

"I also suffered from intense guilt for not telling Todd about our child. Instead of dealing with my grief and the feelings of guilt, I locked it all up inside. I thought if I didn't talk about it, then it wouldn't hurt so bad. I realize now that I was wrong. Years later, when I lost the child I was carrying with John, the pain of losing Megan crept up again. I was so traumatized that it lead to me kidnapping Natalie's baby."

"When it was discovered that I had kidnapped Liam, I ended up in St. Ann's. The doctors there helped me to see that I needed to deal with the pain and guilt head-on. I had to put the past to rest, so I could concentrate on the future," Marty stated.

"You were recently hospitalized at St. Ann's?" asked Ray.

"Yes, I was sent there for care after Liam's kidnapping. I was there for a few months until Todd helped me escape," Marty explained.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about, Ray. I did help Marty leave the institution before she had been released," Todd spoke up. "I was hoping you could speak to Marty's doctors there and tell them that Marty is getting counseling here at your practice. I wouldn't want John McBain or anyone else to say Marty needs to be returned to St. Ann's for further care."

"I'd be willing to do that as long as Marty continues to attend her therapy sessions. I don't feel that she needs the ongoing care she'd receive at St. Ann's at this time," responded Ray.

"Thank you, Ray," Marty said with relief. She didn't want to have to go back to St. Ann's. She wouldn't want to be separated from Todd. Especially now when they were in the process of trying to conceive a child. She cherished her time with Starr and her little granddaughter. She was also looking forward to visiting Cole in prison. She couldn't do that if she was hospitalized at St. Ann's.

"Marty, is there anything else you'd like to say about the past?" Ray questioned.

"Yes," Marty responded as she turned to look at Todd.

"Todd, I am sorry."

Todd looked at her searchingly. "Why are you apologizing?" Todd asked her.

"For not telling you we had a daughter. For keeping it from you all those years..."

"Marty, you did nothing wrong. I wasn't capable of being a father then. I was totally messed up... and I hurt you terribly. I don't blame you for anything that happened back then," Todd told her. "Maybe if things had gone differently..."

"But they didn't go differently," Marty said sadly. "I lost our child."

"It wasn't your fault. It was a terrible accident. You're not to blame. If anyone's to blame, it is me," Todd responded sorrowfully.

"Why do you feel you are to blame?" Ray questioned.

"Because I wasn't there for Marty. Because I put her through so much stress and nearly destroyed her life," answered Todd.

"So now we are back to that again," Ray said to Todd. "Todd, do you believe that Marty has forgiven you?"

Todd looked at Marty and slowly nodded. "I believe that she has."

"Can you try to forgive yourself, knowing that the one you hurt has granted you forgiveness?" Ray asked.

"I'd like to, but I don't know how," Todd stated. "I'm not sure I can do it, but for Marty, I can try."

"Don't just do it for Marty. You gotta do it for yourself. Because you have become a better person. Because you've gone through hell, and you're trying to make something of your life. I know you have the strength and the courage to do this, Todd. Marty and I are going to help you," Ray promised.

Marty reached out and took Todd's hand. "I want a future with you, Todd. And we can't have a future until we can put the ugliness of our past behind us," she told him.

"Alright, let's end the session right there then. You are both making wonderful progress. Thank you for sharing with me the loss of your daughter," Ray expressed.

"We appreciate all your help, Ray," Marty told him.

"Next time we'll talk about what strides Todd is making so he can begin to forgive himself," Ray said before they left.

*Ohhh great,* Todd thought to himself as he and Marty left Ray's office. Ray thought they were making progress, but it really didn't seem like it to him. He never realized how much the counseling sessions were helping him until they got in the car and he asked Marty if she'd like to go out for lunch with him before their next insemination appointment.

"Todd, did you just ask me out on a date?" Marty asked as she gave him a beautiful smile.

"Yeah, I think so," he said with a small chuckle. "You'll have lunch with me, won't you?"

"I'd love that," she told him as she reached across the front of the car to give him a soft, lingering kiss.

~*~o~*~

Several days later they enjoyed lunch at the Palace Hotel before their appointment at the Fertility Clinic. Todd knew that Marty was upset and uneasy about going through the procedure again, so he tried telling jokes to make Marty feel better. After awhile, she broke down and told him how nervous she had been the first time.

"It was all so cold and sterile... and afterwards, I had cramping for a long while..." she told him.

Todd reached over and took her hand into his, giving it a soft squeeze. "I know this sucks, baby... but you just gotta try to relax during the procedure. Try to think pleasant thoughts. Maybe you could think of the reward we're going to have. The baby we both want," he encouraged her.

She nodded, thankful that he seemed to understand. She found herself wishing he could be there with her, holding her hand. She didn't want to ask it of him though, considering he had his own part to play when it came to the procedure.

"It'll be alright, Marty. You'll see," Todd promised as he raised her hand to his lips and gently kissed it.

Feeling reassured, Marty made it through the rest of lunch and the second insemintation procedure. As Todd sat in the little room at the clinic, doing his "part," he thought of Marty's disappointment and all of her tears. He decided right then and there that if this attempt wasn't successful, he'd have to go to drastic extremes to make sure that Marty's dreams did come true.


	15. Intensity

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the love story of Marty and Todd. It also includes several other characters as well as their storylines. This story will be submitted in several parts and is based off the hit soap One Life to Live, yet the "history" has been changed somewhat to suit the purposes of this story. Not all the parts of this story will contain erotic sex scenes as there is a plot. First and foremost, this story is a romance/drama, not a sex story.

Also, I'd like to note that I do not own ABC's One Life to Live or the characters and I will NOT be receiving any payment whatsoever for writing this story. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.

This story takes place BEFORE Marty attacked and killed her psychiatrist, stabbed Kelly, and pushed Natalie from the roof at Angel Square. In this story, those events will not happen. This is my take on the two-Todds story including Marty and with an eerie or supernatural twist. Hope you enjoy the story...

~*o*~

At their next therapy session with Ray, he broached the subject of sex. "I know this is a difficult subject matter considering your past," Ray said carefully. "But you both love each other... and we need to discuss your sex life and the future of your relationship."

"We don't have a sex life," Todd spoke up.

"Todd has intimacy issues because he's afraid of hurting me again," Marty explained.

"It's not that I don't want to make love to her. It's just that everytime we touch, I freeze," spoke Todd.

"When you kiss Marty, how do you feel?" Ray asked Todd.

Todd stared at Ray, his heart pounding in his chest. "It feels like Heaven," Todd answered. "But... when the passion intensifies, I remember that dark moment when I hurt her so badly. It makes me want to pull away from her."

"Marty, how do you feel when Todd kisses you? Are you afraid?" Ray asked.

"No," Marty said as she shook her head. "I trust Todd. He wouldn't hurt me again."

"Marty has placed all her trust in you, Todd. She loves you ... and she wants a future with you. Do you think you could show her how much you love her?" Ray questioned Todd.

"I don't know... but I could try. I'm just not ready... to- go all the way yet..."

"That's alright... I'm not asking you to rush it. But next time you kiss Marty, I want you to remember how much she loves you and trusts you. I want you to remember that she's given you the gift of her forgiveness. And I want you to see how far you can go past the kissing stage."

"What if I lose all control? What if I hurt her?" Todd lamented.

"You have better ways of dealing with your impulses now, Todd. You're not that same man I met when you first came to the prison all those years ago. I don't believe you could hurt Marty like that again," Ray responded.

"I don't believe it either. Todd, you won't hurt me," Marty said to him gently.

Todd let out a pent-up sigh. "I love you, Marty. And all I want is to make you happy," he told her.

"Being with you makes me happy," she responded as she gave him a little smile.

"Alright, Todd. Now we need to discuss the steps you are taking to forgive yourself. How's that going?" Ray questioned.

Todd shrugged. "I still hate myself for what I did."

"It's alright to hate WHAT you did... because you know it was wrong and you hurt Marty very much... but it's not okay to hate yourself," spoke Ray. "In order to love Marty freely with your whole heart, you have to let the past go. I am not asking you to forget what happened, because you never will... but you need to make peace with it."

"I love you, Todd... and I believe in you. Please believe in yourself," Marty spoke up.

Todd looked from Marty to Ray as he internalized everything they had said. He felt as though he were frozen in time and he had no clue how he could reach his goal and forgive himself. "I am trying the best I can here..." he stated.

"And you're doing great, Todd," Ray assured him. "You've made so much progress, though you may not believe it. Your intimacy issues will slowly fade. You just have to believe in yourself."

"Thanks for all your help, Ray," Marty said as she rose to her feet. "Todd and I gotta hurry off because we have an appointment."

"A very important appointment," Todd added as he looked into Marty's eyes.

They left Ray's practice together and headed toward the fertility clinic. "I can't believe we are going through this for the third time," Marty said to Todd on the car ride there. "I wonder why I am not getting pregnant."

"I think I know why," said Todd mysteriously. "And I'm going to do something about it." Looking over at him curiously, Marty wondered what he had in mind.

~*o*~

"We are here early," Marty said as they arrived at the clinic and stepped out of the car. "I wonder what we are going to do for an hour."

"We'll be busy," Todd responded as he took her hand and walked inside the clinic with her.

"What do you have in mind?" she asked him.

"Trust me," he said as he lead her into the nearest bathroom and locked the door.

"What are you doing?" Marty asked as she looked at Todd questioningly.

"You meant what you said earlier when we were talking to Ray- you trust me, don't you?"

"Yes," she answered as she waited for him to explain why they were locked in the bathroom together at the fertility clinic.

"When you called and told me the last attempt didn't work, I did some research..." Todd explained. "I read online that some experts believe that a woman is more likely to conceive if she has an orgasm first..."

"An orgasm?" Marty said as heat rose in her cheeks. "Are you saying...?"

Todd nodded. "Yeah, I wanna give you an orgasm."

"But how?" Marty gasped. "Here?"

"I want to kiss you and touch you... and make you cum..." Todd said as he moved closer, cornering her against the wall. "It was either here or the car..."

"But .. uhhhh... what if somebody needs to use the bathroom?"

"I guess they'll have to hold it," Todd chuckled as he gazed into her bright blue eyes. "You're not scared, are you, Marty?"

"No, I am not scared... just surprised is all. I never thought..." she said in a whisper as her back touched the cool tile which made up the wall. She was getting wet already with just the suggestion of him touching her. She lost her breath when Todd lowered his head, softly nibbling her neck.

"Ohhh Todd," she murmured as his teeth grazed her skin.

"I need you, Marty," he groaned.

"I need you, too," she responded, closing her eyes and loving the sweet sensation of his lips against her soft skin.

His mouth left her neck, his lips brushing against hers. He remembered Ray's words from earlier as his first instinct was to run away. *The next time you kiss Marty, I want you to remember how much she loves you and trusts you. I want you to remember that she's given you the gift of her forgiveness. And I want you to see how far you can go...* Ray's voice spoke in his head.

He pressed his body against hers as he leaned in even closer. Immediately he felt an erection expanding in his pants. He wanted to cum just as much as she did. Touching her was driving him out of his freakin mind. "Please Todd," he heard her whimper.

"Please what, babe?" he asked.

"I want your fingers inside me..."

"Just wait... I promise to give you the sweetest pleasure... but it's been so long and I wanna savor it..."

As he spoke, he slowly brushed his fingertips against her turgid nipples. He caressed them and tugged at the peaks until she let out a little cry.

"God, I love you so much. You smell so good," he groaned as he lightly bit her neck.

"You're driving me crazy, Todd," she moaned as he slowly inched up her skirt, placing a bold caress on her inner thigh.

Marty's legs parted at his touch, her panties damp with her excitement. He brushed his fingertips against the clinging cotton with a feather-light touch. Marty leaned back against the wall, crying out at his tender caresses.

"Do you like that, baby? Does it feel good?" Todd asked.

"Ohhh God, yes... I've wanted you to touch me for so long, Todd. I NEED you."

"You need to cum..."

"Yes... please..."

He moved the crotch of her panties aside, exposing the sensitive pink lips of her trembling center. She was so wet, she was glistening. Todd couldn't take his eyes off her. She grasped his hand and pressed it against her mound. He parted the lips gently and found her aroused little clit. With soft fingertips, he began to stroke the tight little bud.

"Ohhh my God," she cried out, rocking her hips. "Please... please don't stop..."

"I won't until you spill all over my fingers," Todd promised.

Marty opened her legs wider, giving Todd better access to her treasures. He slid a finger into her tight passage, feeling her clench up on him deliciously. He let out a groan, watching as the passion spread across her features. She looked so beautiful as he thrust his finger inside her while his thumb teased over her sensitive clit.

"I am so close, Todd. Don't stop! You're going to make me cum!" she said in a whimper.

Todd thrust his finger deep and fast into her slick folds. "Cum for me, baby..." he encouraged her. "I want to see you cum."

She let out a soft little scream, the walls of her passage tightening up and squeezing around his finger. "That's it," Todd said with a smile as she spilled her juices all over his hand.

"I love you so much..." he murmured, as he leaned forward, spreading his kisses all over her face.

"I love you, too," she responded, looking down to see him removing his finger very slowly from her tight depths.

"That was amazing..." he said with a smirk. "I loved making you cum."

"Do you think it will help... and I can get pregnant now?" she asked him.

"Well, it won't hurt," Todd chuckled.

"There's something else I'd like to try..." he said as he looked down at his hardened cock which was trying to escape his pants.

He reached into his pocket to withdraw the sterile cup he had taken from the fertility clinic after he had given his last sample. "I want you to help me collect a fresh sample we can use in the insemination," he explained to Marty. "They have kinky magazines and movies in the room... but I'd rather have you..."

"Mmmm... so you want me to help you sperm in this little cup?" Marty asked as she took it from him.

"Yeah... I wanna cum, too," he said as he began to unzip his pants.

Marty let out a little gasp as Todd's thick erection sprung forth. He was rock-hard and ready for action. "I think we can get a good sample," Marty said as she dropped to her knees.

"Ohhh my God," he groaned as she began to suck him.

Marty wrapped her lips around his throbbing flesh, giving him intense pleasure. Todd backed up against the wall, pushing his hips forward to push more of his length into her sweet mouth. Todd knew he wouldn't last long... after all it was his first experience with a woman since his captivity.

"Ohhh baby, your mouth feels so fuckin good. I am gonna cum soon... get ready," he warned her.

As tempting as it was, he didn't want to spill down her throat. He wanted the sperm to be used to make their baby. The thought of getting her pregnant with his child seemed to add to the intensity of his excitement.

He let out a fierce growl as the sperm started to rise toward his tip. He eased Marty away, breaking the suction as she hurriedly placed the clear specimen container at his tip. Suddenly he spilled himself into the little cup, filling it to almost overflowing.

"Wow," was all he could utter as she licked away the last drops which were clinging to the head of his cock. He struggled to catch his breath as he leaned back against the wall.

Marty capped the lid on the specimen container, rising to her feet as she grinned at Todd. "I've never had so much fun in a bathroom in all my life," she told him with a smirk.

"Well, you better fix your skirt. It's time for our appointment."

"What will you do? You won't need to go into that little room this time and give your sample."

"I'll go with you and hold your hand while you have the insemination. It's gonna work this time. I just know it," he said as he zipped his pants and looked into her eyes.

Marty smiled when he said he'd go with her to the insemination. There was always discomfort and a little cramping when the sperm was injected through her cervix. She knew Todd's presence would help her through the procedure. "I might cum again," she said teasingly. "If you are there..."

He pulled her close and lightly kissed her lips. "This time it's going to take," he assured her. "When we leave here today, you'll be carrying my baby."

"What makes you so sure?"

"I feel it here," he said as he pressed her small hand against his heart.

~*o*~

A few minutes later, Marty lay on the exam table as the doctor inserted a speculum. Todd sat next to her, holding her hand in his. "Close your eyes and relax, Marty," Todd urged as he saw her beginning to tense up.

She did as he said, thinking about their fun little romp in the bathroom. Todd had been so intense. She had loved every minute of the fierce passion he had given her. She slowly let out her breath, feeling a tube being inserted deeply into her womb.

"You're doing great, Marty," spoke Dr. Marshall as Todd's fresh sperm sample was injected directly into Marty's uterus. "Almost finished..."

There was a pinching sensation, followed by mild cramping. It subsided after the doctor removed the narrow tubing. "Just lie there for about 20 minutes," the doctor said after removing the speculum. "I hope this time you get the result you've been hoping to achieve."

"Thanks, Dr. Marshall," Marty said as she opened her eyes.

After the doctor and nurse had left the room, Marty gazed at Todd. "I'm tingling all over..." she told him. "I feel like I want you again..."

A smile lifted up the corners of Todd's mouth. "Well, we can't right now. You need to lie very still, so all my little swimmers can get to where they're supposed to go."

"We will do that again though, won't we?" she asked him hopefully as she looked a little sad.

"I promise. As soon as we know you are pregnant, that's how we are gonna celebrate," he responded.

"You're bad, Todd," she giggled.

"I know it..." he replied with a grin.


	16. The Rain

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the love story of Marty and Todd. It also includes several other characters as well as their storylines. This story will be submitted in several parts and is based off the hit soap One Life to Live, yet the "history" has been changed somewhat to suit the purposes of this story. Not all the parts of this story will contain erotic sex scenes as there is a plot. First and foremost, this story is a romance/drama, not a sex story.

Also, I'd like to note that I do not own ABC's One Life to Live or the characters and I will NOT be receiving any payment whatsoever for writing this story. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.

This story takes place BEFORE Marty attacked and killed her psychiatrist, stabbed Kelly, and pushed Natalie from the roof at Angel Square. In this story, those events will not happen. This is my take on the two-Todds story including Marty and with an eerie or supernatural twist. Hope you enjoy the story...

~*o*~

She stood at the window, watching as the rain fell from a blackened sky. It slid in silvery rivulets down her window pane. Lightening lit up the sky and thunder crashed in the distance. In the sanctuary of her bedroom, she felt perfectly safe. Todd would be here soon. She touched the glass, staring out into the night. A particularly loud clap of thunder shook the foundation, startling her slightly. The doorbell rang just then, and she knew it was Todd.

He was soaked clear through his jacket when she answered the door. His hair was dripping slightly as he stood in the rain. "Come on in," she said as she urged him to step inside.

"You're wet," she said as she offered him a towel. Todd took off his jacket, followed by his soaked shirt. He wrapped the towel around himself in an attempt to get dry. Marty couldn't help but stare at his gorgeous, muscular chest.

"So, are you ready to do the test?" he asked her.

It had been slightly over two weeks since their last insemination attempt. Marty had missed her period, so they had taken that as a good sign. She was now 3 days "late," so Todd had come over so he could be present when she performed a home pregnancy test.

"Yes, come with me," she said as she took his hand and lead him into her bedroom. She had the test in her bathroom.

"Are you nervous?" Todd asked her.

Marty shook her head. "Just excited," she answered. "I have feeling it's going to be positive."

"Do you need any help?"

Marty giggled. "I think you've helped enough. Just wait out here... and I'll be right back," Marty said as she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Todd's flesh tingled where she'd kissed him. He watched as she disappeared into the adjoining bathroom and closed the door. He stood at the window, watching the rain as it fell. As the lightening lit up the sky, he thought of their past. Thunderstorms always brought back the memories full-force. One rainy night in May, he had changed their lives forever with a violent act. Despite how he'd hurt her, she'd chosen to forgive him. Now he just had to forgive himself, but that was easier said than done.

He loved her so much, and he had vowed to spend the rest of his life making her happy. It was the least he could do after all the hurt and turmoil he had caused her. They were getting much closer to having their dreams come true. He could feel it.

Several minutes had passed, and Todd still stood at the window. He was lost in the memories when Marty stepped from the bathroom. She walked closer and lightly touched his arm.

"Todd?" she said quietly.

He turned to look at her as she pressed the test into his hand. "Read the result," she prompted him.

"What does this mean?" Todd asked when he looked into the little window of the plastic stick. "Does this mean you're pregnant?"

"It's a plus sign," she answered. "And yes, it does mean I am pregnant."

He heard the happiness and excitement in her voice even though she was overcome with tears. Pulling her into his arms, he caressed her hair. "I am so happy, baby. This is wonderful. I cant believe it, and I don't even know what to say..."

"I'm having your baby, Todd," she said through her tears as she pressed her face against his bare chest. His heart beat steadily against her cheek.

"I knew it," he said as he crushed her closer. "I told you it would work, didn't I?"

"Yes," she said ecstatically as she pulled back from their embrace and looked into his eyes. "And remember what you said we'd do to celebrate?"

"Yes, I remember," he answered as he continued to stare at her, making no move to act on his promise.

"Please Todd, I need you to hold me again. I need to be CLOSE to you," she pleaded.

"Are you sure, babe?"

She nodded as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He lifted her up into his arms and carried her over to the bed. Gently he lay her down on it's surface. When she was settled against the pillows, he crawled into bed with her and joined her under the warm covers. He shivered as she drew him closer.

"Cold?" she asked him softly as she curled up against his chest.

"Yeah, it was cold out there in the rain," he responded. "Much warmer in here with you... holding you in my arms..."

"I wish I could sleep in your arms every night," she admitted. "Will you stay the night with me, Todd? Please? Just this once?"

"I wish I could, babe... but I don't think I can..."

Disappointment showed on her face but he gently kissed the lines of sadness away. "A part of me will be here with you though," he reminded as he gently placed his hand over her tummy. "You're carrying our child..."

"That's the most amazing thing ever," she told him. "Thank you, Todd. I wanted your baby so much."

"I know, we went through a lot to get this baby," he said as he gently caressed her flat stomach. "Especially everything we went through in the bathroom at the clinic..."

Marty laughed. "You loved that part... and so did I."

"Yeah, that was the fun part," Todd agreed.

"Todd, could we now? Please... I need you to touch me... and make me cum," she encouraged him.

"I did promise," he responded. "Okay, babe. Take off your panties."

Marty reached under the covers and removed her panties. She raised the material of her skirt as well, so Todd could touch her. Before she could say or do anything else, Todd had slid his hand up her shirt, cupping one of her breasts.

"Are your breasts sore?" he asked her.

"A little bit," she answered. "Maybe you could massage them for me and make them feel better..."

Todd let out a groan of passion as he gently squeezed a perfect globe. He tugged the covers down slightly so he could see Marty's breast he had been caressing. "You're so beautiful, babe," he said before he drew a taut nipple into his mouth.

He teased the pink nub with the tip of his tongue, then sucked on it strongly. Marty entanged her fingers into his damp hair. "Todd," she murmured when he pulled on her nipple to make it erect.

"I love you so much..." he said as he kissed her other breast. He gave it the same attention he had given it's twin. As he aroused both her nipples, his fingers slid down to her warm, wet center. She was creamy with her desire as he teased his fingertips over her little clit.

"Please Todd, make me cum. I need to cum so much..."

Todd slid two fingers inside her tight center, thrusting them slowly and sensuously in and out. He inserted them deeply until she cried out. He nibbled her nipples, then pulled back a fraction so he could look at her. "I wanna watch you cum, babe. You're so beautiful when you cum."

"Ohhh yes, I am so close. Please make me cum, Todd. Fuck me harder with your fingers."

With her encouragement, Todd thrust his fingers into her harder and faster, feeling her inner muscles clenching and tightening as she neared her peak. He whispered kinky words into her ear, telling her all the naughty things he longed to do to her. Suddenly Marty let out a long delicious scream, her body arching upward toward Todd's fingers as she spilled her hot juices all over his hand.

"Mmmmm," he groaned as he gently withdrew, raising his hand up to his lips. He tasted her sweetness that clung to his fingers as he stared into her eyes.

"Todd, I need to touch you, too..." she told him as she reached for the zipper of his jeans and worked to unfasten his pants. She peeled the material away, along with his boxers. His throbbing cock spilled forth into her waiting hand.

A smile came to her lips when she saw how ready he was for her. She wanted to wrap her lips around him and make him cum. She held his swollen shaft in her hand as she spread kisses down his chest toward her goal, his immense erection. When she reached the point of his desire, she placed silken kisses across his velvet skin.

"Ohhh God, Marty," he groaned. He tangled his fingers in her hair, holding her head in place as he lost his breath. Her lips brushed against the sensitive head as she tasted his precum.

"Take me in your mouth. Take all of me," he urged her.

She drew him inside, her tongue feasting on his flesh as he pushed his hips forward to send more of his throbbing length down her throat. "Ohhh yeah, baby. Suck me," Todd urged. Her mouth wrapped around him tighter as the rain crashed against the windows outside. As the thunder sounded in the distance, Todd erupted, sending his essense down Marty's waiting throat. He shuddered as the last of his cum came spilling out. Marty caught the drops upon her tongue.

"I love you, Todd," she said as she licked her lips and stared into his eyes. "Please... will you stay tonight?"

"Make love to me?" she pleaded with him.

Todd froze, sitting up in bed and staring out at the rain. The thunderstorm was his undoing. He couldn't stay in the bed with her another minute. He got up and walked over to the window. In that moment, he didn't even care if he was naked. He was entirely immersed in another place and time.

Marty joined him at the window as she slid her arm around his waist. "What is it, Todd?" she asked him with concern.

"I was just thinking about THAT night. That awful night when I hurt you...when I nearly destroyed both of us..."

"That night is gone. All we have now is THIS moment. And it's just you, and me, and our love," she told him soothingly. "I'm sorry if I said something to upset you..."

"It wasn't you. It was the rain," he said as he took her hand in his and stared out at the raindrops as they splashed loudly against the window panes.

"Please come back to bed, Todd. I just want to hold you. That's all. We won't do anything else. I promise. We'll just hold each other."

He looked at her, an expression of a frightened child on his face. Gently she traced his scar. "We can keep each other safe," she urged him.

"Alright," he gave in, following her back to the bed. Moments later, they cuddled in her bed as Todd began to relax.

"Everything's going to be alright, Todd," she murmured as she curled up against the steady beating of his heart.

He let out a long breath as he caressed her hair. "I believe you," he murmured.


	17. Blessings

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the love story of Marty and Todd. It also includes several other characters as well as their storylines. This story will be submitted in several parts and is based off the hit soap One Life to Live, yet the "history" has been changed somewhat to suit the purposes of this story. Not all the parts of this story will contain erotic sex scenes as there is a plot. First and foremost, this story is a romance/drama, not a sex story.

Also, I'd like to note that I do not own ABC's One Life to Live or the characters and I will NOT be receiving any payment whatsoever for writing this story. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.

This story takes place BEFORE Marty attacked and killed her psychiatrist, stabbed Kelly, and pushed Natalie from the roof at Angel Square. In this story, those events will not happen. This is my take on the two-Todds story including Marty and with an eerie or supernatural twist. Hope you enjoy the story...

~*o*~

After a visit with Cole in prison, Marty met up with Todd for their counseling session with Ray. As they waited for Ray to enter his office, Marty said, "I told Cole about the baby today. And I'd also like to tell Ray."

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Todd asked.

"Well, I am starting to show already. Soon everyone's going to know," Marty pointed out.

"True," agreed Todd as he took her hand in his. "How have you been feeling?"

"Wonderful," she told him. "No morning sickness. This is the easiest pregnancy I've had so far."

"Let's hope it stays that way," he said as he raised her hand to his lips and gently kissed each of her fingertips.

"I'm so excited about the ultrasound."

"So am I."

"We'll get to see our baby," Marty said happily.

"Sorry I am a little late," said Ray as he came into the room and saw Marty and Todd seated together, holding hands. "How are you two doing?"

"We're great," Todd responded.

"Marty's pregnant," he suddenly blurted out.

Ray looked shocked. "Really?" he said as he gazed at Marty.

"Yes, Todd and I are having a baby," Marty announced.

"I take it your intimacy issues are mostly resolved," Ray said as he looked at Todd.

"They are getting much better..." Todd responded. "But just so you know, this child was conceived through artificial insemination."

"I see," Ray replied. "So, when is the little one due?"

"The baby's due in November," Marty stated.

"Congratulations," Ray said with a smile. "I think you two have made excellent strides since you started coming here for therapy. This baby is a definite blessing. Today we'll discuss 'forgiveness' and your plans for the future. How's your efforts going in the forgiveness department, Todd?"

"Better, I think. I'm beginning to make peace with the past. But it hasn't been easy," Todd explained.

"Todd's doing wonderful," Marty spoke up. "He hasn't been able to stay the night with me yet... but his intimacy issues are improving. Therapy is helping tremendously. It's just going to take time."

"Todd, do you trust yourself not to hurt Marty?" Ray asked.

"I'd die before I hurt her again. I love her so much," Todd responded honestly.

"You just need to trust yourself... and believe in yourself. You can do this, Todd. You have control," Ray assured him. "Remind yourself that Marty has placed her trust in you... and she believes in you. The past is gone... and your future is waiting for you. You have a second chance."

"I like the sound of that," Marty said with a smile.

She took Todd's hand and pressed it to the small mound which was their child. Their baby was a second chance for them as well. After all the pain and heartache, they were expecting a new little miracle. The baby had become their promise for the future.

"So, a year from now, what do the two of you see yourselves doing?" Ray asked.

"I see us changing a hell of a lot of diapers," Todd said with a laugh.

"Besides that," Ray chuckled.

"I'm not sure..." said Todd as he looked at Marty. "Usually I just try to make it day by day."

"That's good, Todd. You don't want to rush things," Ray encouraged.

"How about you, Marty? What do you want for the future?" Ray questioned.

"All I want is Todd and our baby. I'm happy. We've come so far... and already I have so much more than I ever thought I'd have considering all we've been through," Marty said honestly. "I'm enjoying reconnecting with Todd and preparing for the baby together. There's nothing I want more than that."

"Okay, we'll end the session right there then. You two are doing excellent," stated Ray. "I wish you much luck with the baby. Continue to work on forgiveness and the intimacy issues. The rest will come in time."

"Is this our last session?" Todd asked in surprise.

"I think you two can handle things from here on out... but if you ever need anything, you know how to reach me," Ray responded.

Marty stood and gave Ray a big hug. "You helped us so much, Ray. I don't know how to thank you."

"Just seeing the happiness on your faces is thanks enough," Ray said with a smile. "Take care of yourself, alright?"

"I will," Marty said as she and Todd prepared to go.

Todd thanked Ray and shook his hand. "You're the kewlest shrink I know," Todd complimented Ray.

"That means a lot coming from you, Todd," Ray said with a grin. "Take good care of Marty and the little one. Send me a birth announcement, okay?"

"We will," Marty promised.

~*o*~

At the ultrasound, Marty and Todd saw their little baby. Todd smiled when he saw their baby moving on the screen. "We gotta come up with some names now," Todd said as he kissed Marty's forehead.

"One name," she said.

"Only one?"

"Yes, I was thinking we could name the baby Taylor, because that name works for a boy or a girl... and that way, we don't have to call the baby 'it' all the time. We can call the baby by his or her name for the rest of my pregnancy," Marty suggested.

"Taylor," Todd said as he tested the name on his tongue. "I like it. So, Taylor Thomas for a boy? How about Taylor Anne for a girl then?"

Marty smiled. "I like those name choices."

"I like them, too," said Dr. Wright. "Your baby is developing right on target. Would you like a few pictures for the baby book?"

"Yes," Marty said happily.

"You can come back in a couple of weeks for your check-up, but for now, everything looks wonderful," Dr. Wright said cheerfully.

~*o*~

Todd and Marty cuddled that evening on the couch after dinner. "When are you telling your kids about the baby?" Marty asked him.

"I'm going to tell them right away," Todd said as he ran his fingers through Marty's hair. "What did Cole say?"

"Ohhh he was really surprised. He didn't know that you and I were so... close."

"Did you tell him that you were artificially inseminated?"

"I didn't feel the need to share that detail with him."

"So he thinks we are...?"

"Well, we practically are," Marty said with a little laugh. "You're here all the time. You just don't spend the night."

"Do you want me to spend the night tonight?"

"Would you?" she asked him eagerly.

"I'd like to try," he stated. "In fact, that's not all I'd like to try..."

"Do you mean...?"

"Yeah," he said as he carefully disengaged himself from her embrace and stood up from the couch. He looked down at her and stared into her deep blue eyes. He lifted her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom.

She let out a little sigh of contentment as he settled himself into her arms. "Todd, are you sure?" she whispered. "We don't have to..."

"I want to make love to you, Marty," Todd said as he started taking off her clothes.

"I want you, too," she murmured as she unbuttoned Todd's shirt. Her eyes sparkled as she parted the material and she eased it off of Todd's shoulders. Gently she caressed his rippling muscles with her smooth fingertips.

"Your touch makes me hot," Todd stated as he finished undressing her. He lay her back on the bed and lowered his lips to hers. She tangled her fingers into his hair as he took her lips in a passionate kiss...

TBC


	18. Taylor

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the love story of Marty and Todd. It also includes several other characters as well as their storylines. This story will be submitted in several parts and is based off the hit soap One Life to Live, yet the "history" has been changed somewhat to suit the purposes of this story. Not all the parts of this story will contain erotic sex scenes as there is a plot. First and foremost, this story is a romance/drama, not a sex story.

Also, I'd like to note that I do not own ABC's One Life to Live or the characters and I will NOT be receiving any payment whatsoever for writing this story. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.

This story takes place BEFORE Marty attacked and killed her psychiatrist, stabbed Kelly, and pushed Natalie from the roof at Angel Square. In this story, those events will not happen. This is my take on the two-Todds story including Marty and with an eerie or supernatural twist. Hope you enjoy the story...

~*o*~

Marty tugged Todd into bed with her. Their kisses became more intense as his hands skimmed her naked body. Finally Todd broke away from their hungry kisses and gazed into the blue jewels of Marty's eyes. "I love you, Marty...and I want to show you just how much you mean to me," he whispered to her.

"I'll be gentle. I won't hurt you," he promised.

"I know you won't hurt me, Todd. I trust you...," she assured him as she stroked her fingertips over his scar. "I want you."

"I want you so much, I'm going crazy inside," he revealed to her.

"Don't wait then," she urged him. She reached out and unzipped his pants. She slid them down his hips along with his boxers. His hardened cock sprung free into her small hands. She stroked it as she looked up into his eyes.

"I need this," she told him. "I need you."

"I need to be inside you, Marty," Todd moaned as she made him crazy with desire.

She lay back on the bed and opened her legs for him. "I want to be one with you again," she murmured.

Todd joined their bodies together as he moved over her and slid inside her in a single stroke. She was wet and hot as she welcomed him inside. "Ohhh my God, you feel so amazing," he gasped as he sunk inside of her as deeply as he could go.

She locked her legs around him as she urged him to move. "Make love to me, Todd," she begged.

He took her lips in a fierce kiss as he began to do just as she had requested. With each surge inside of her, she raised her hips to meet his thrusts. "It feels so good. Don't stop. Harder," she pleaded.

Todd couldn't have stopped if he wanted to. Marty felt like spun silk wrapped tight around his throbbing cock. He hadn't been with a woman in so long and after all this time, he was finally with the woman of his dreams. As intense as it was, Todd didn't want to hurt her.

"Are you sure, baby?" he asked when she begged him to thrust harder.

"Yes, Todd. PLEASE!" she urged.

Todd increased the thrusting motions of his hips, giving them both exquisite pleasure. The room went in flames when suddenly every muscle in Marty's body tensed. She climaxed as she screamed out Todd's name. "That's it, baby!" Todd yelled. He too was about to cum. He suddenly exploded, spilling his hot seed deep into her body. After it was over, Todd found himself collapsed on top of her as he struggled to catch his breath.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to crush you and the baby," Todd said to her as he rolled off of her and lay down next to her on the pillows.

"Are you okay, babe? I didn't hurt you?" he asked her with concern.

Marty looked into his eyes and gently stroked his cheek. "You made me feel amazing," she assured him. "I can still feel the delicious aftershocks deep inside me."

"I love you so much... and I never want to hurt you again," he murmured as he tenderly caressed her hair.

"I know," she said as she gazed at him lovingly. "I'm glad we're together, Todd. I'm so happy. And I can't wait till Taylor arrives."

Todd stroked her slightly rounded stomach with an amazed expression. "It's finally happening. We are getting everything we want."

"Do you think Taylor will be a boy or a girl?" she asked him.

"It doesn't matter. He or she is our baby... and that's all that matters," Todd replied.

~*o*~

Todd barely made it home before the snowstorm hit. Already the roads were icing. An announcer came on the radio, discouraging further travel. "Yeah right... " Todd grumbled as he pulled up at the cottage. There was nothing that could keep him away from Marty. Not when she was nearly nine months pregnant with their child.

After he parked the car in the driveway, he was hit by a gust of frigid wind that had tossed snow into his face. He shivered and wrapped his coat tighter around him as he walked to the front door. He hoped Marty was warm and snug in front of the fireplace inside the cottage. He needed her arms around him so he could warm up again.

"Looks like we won't be going into town for awhile," Todd said to himself as he stepped inside and kicked the snow off his shoes in the doorway. "I hope we have plenty of food."

"Marty, where are you?" Todd called out to her. Usually after work she'd greet him near the front door, but lately she hadn't been feeling the best. She was nearing the end of her pregnancy and she often required a lot of rest.

"Marty?" Todd exclaimed as he took off his coat and hung it up in the entryway.

As he had predicted, there was a fire burning in the hearth, but he found no sign of Marty. "Why aren't you answering me?" Todd spoke with a frown. He walked into the bedroom, looking for the woman he loved.

He found her lying on the bed. "What's going on?" he asked, seeing an expression of discomfort upon her face. "Are you alright?"

Marty shook her head. "Please don't be angry with me, Todd," she said as she reached out for his hand.

"Angry? Why would I be angry?" he asked when he swept her fingers up to his lips, gently kissing each of them.

"Because I am in labor... and I need you to deliver the baby." Despite the brave front Marty was putting on for him, she was terrified. She had already lost two precious children. She needed to bring this baby safely into the world.

"What?" Todd gasped.

"You can't be in labor!" he exclaimed as he rose to his feet. "Our baby's supposed to be born in a hospital."

"I knew we'd never make it there. The snowstorm was about to hit when my contractions started. They are incredibly close together. You were on your way home from work, and I wanted you. I didn't want anyone else to deliver our baby."

"I'm not a doctor!"

"I am and I can walk you through this. Todd, you delivered Jack," she reminded.

"I know, but that was years ago... and that was the most gruesome experience of my entire life! I didn't like it the first time. What if something goes wrong?" Todd cried out. "I need to get you to the hospital."

"There's no time," Marty warned him. "Our baby's coming now."

Todd panicked when he realized she was struggling not to push. She was absolutely serious. Their baby's birth was eminent.

"What do I have to do?" he asked her as calmly as possible.

"I have everything laid out. The scissors, the sterile water, the towels... all you have to do is deliver our child," Marty told him. "I'll do the rest."

Todd's heart skipped a beat, hearing the pain in her voice. He didn't like to see Marty in so much pain. He gently pulled away the covers to see that Marty was naked from the waist down. Her legs were slightly parted, and he could see the top of the baby's head.

"Ohhh my God, Marty!" Todd gasped. "What if I didn't make it home in time?"

"I knew... you would..." she said in between contractions. "It hurts so much, Todd. I gotta push now..."

"Alright," Todd said as he frantically grabbed all the supplies and got ready to deliver the baby. He was as scared as hell, but he knew he had to do this. He had to come through for Marty and their child.

Todd was scared as hell for her as she started pushing. He wanted medical professionals to help with this delivery. He was terrified that something would go wrong, and he'd lose both Marty and their child. They'd already lost one child, and he knew they couldn't survive the loss of another. This baby they'd already named Taylor meant the world to both of them.

Trying to keep his wits about him, Todd encouraged Marty through the contractions as she was pushing. Soon the baby's head emerged as Marty bore down with all of her strength. Todd gently held the child's head in his hands as he watched the miracle of birth.

"You're doing wonderful, Marty. Our baby is almost here," Todd told her.

Marty didn't respond as another fierce contraction hit her. She pushed with all her might as the baby slid from her body, right into Todd's waiting hands. She fell back against the pillows, entirely exhausted from her ordeal.

Todd cleaned the baby as he heard the newborn's first cries. He wrapped the child in a towel and placed him in his mother's arms. "We have a son, Marty," he told her happily. "Taylor's a boy."

"A boy," she said as she looked at the baby and tears filled her eyes. "Ohhh Todd, he's so beautiful."

Todd kissed Marty's cheek as they gazed at their son. "Are you okay, baby?" Todd asked Marty when he saw all her tears.

"I'm just so happy," she told him. "I wish Megan could be here to see her baby brother."

Todd's eyes got misty when Marty mentioned their daughter. "Megan IS here. When you look into his eyes, you will see a part of her gazing back at you."

Marty stared into her son's blue eyes and in that moment, she thought she did see an image of Megan. She had missed her baby girl so much and for so long. She cuddled Taylor closer and kissed his tiny head. "Thank you for our son," she said to Todd.

"I should be thanking you, Marty," responded Todd. "Because you've made me the happiest man alive."


	19. Twenty Years

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the love story of Marty and Todd. It also includes several other characters as well as their storylines. This story will be submitted in several parts and is based off the hit soap One Life to Live, yet the "history" has been changed somewhat to suit the purposes of this story. Not all the parts of this story will contain erotic sex scenes as there is a plot. First and foremost, this story is a romance/drama, not a sex story.

Also, I'd like to note that I do not own ABC's One Life to Live or the characters and I will NOT be receiving any payment whatsoever for writing this story. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.

This story takes place BEFORE Marty attacked and killed her psychiatrist, stabbed Kelly, and pushed Natalie from the roof at Angel Square. In this story, those events will not happen. This is my take on the two-Todds story including Marty and with an eerie or supernatural twist. Hope you enjoy the story...

~*o*~

It was May 9th and Taylor's sixth-month birthday. It also happened to be the twentieth anniversary of the infamous KAD Spring Fling - that awful long-ago night when Todd and Marty's lives had been changed forever. Neither spoke of what that date represented, instead they concentrated on their son.

"I think we should take Taylor on a walk and enjoy this beautiful weather," Todd spoke as he went to withdraw the stroller from the hall closet.

"Good idea," Marty agreed as she got their son ready for a little outing.

"Would you like to go for a walk with Mommy and Daddy?" Marty asked the small boy as she carried him over to the stroller and strapped him into the seat.

Todd watched as Marty got Taylor settled in his stroller. He waved his little arms, excited about his parents taking him on a walk. Taylor loved the fresh air and the outdoors as much as his parents did.

"There's a lot we've gotta talk about," Todd said as soon as they stepped outside the cottage and began pushing Taylor along the walk-way.

"What's on your mind, Todd?" Marty asked as she thought he'd mention that long-ago night. It had been there in the back of her mind like a haunting dream from another time and place, but those particular memories didn't have their strong hold on her anymore. She and Todd had created dozens of beautiful memories together since then which had taken precedence. Today was a special day because Taylor had just turned six months old. She didn't want to dwell on their painful past or let it drag her down.

"I just wanted to say..." Suddenly Todd's voice trailed off as a car had pulled into the driveway. It was Starr's little sports car. She stepped from the vehicle and approached Marty and Todd.

A smile came to Todd's face when he saw his older daughter's approach. "What brings you here, Shorty? And where's my little Peanut?" Todd asked.

"Hope's still at daycare," Starr explained as she held a letter in her hand.

"I'm so excited I just got a letter from the Governor of Pennsylvania! Cole's getting released from prison on Friday. He got the Presendencial Pardon."

"What?" Marty gasped in disbelief. "Cole's getting released?"

"Yes, he is! I just can't believe it!" Starr exclaimed. "Hope's going to see her dad soon! The man I love is COMING HOME!"

Starr hugged Marty as they were both jumping around in with joy and happiness. After all these years, Marty's son was being released! Marty looked over at Todd who had not said a word, but had a slight smirk upon his face.

"You had something to do with this... didn't you, Todd?" Marty asked him.

"It was me who contacted the governor and got the ball rolling," Todd explained. "But ultimately it was Cole himself who should take the credit. He's been on excellent behavior while in prison. A few months ago, when there was a prison break, he risked his own life to save others. He's a good man, Marty. And he deserves to be at home with the woman he loves and his child."

Tears shimmered in Starr's eyes as she hugged her father. "Thank you for helping Cole, Dad."

"Anything for my little girl," he told her as he kissed her cheek.

"I better get going. It's time to pick up Hope. I just had to share the wonderful news with you..." Starr said before she rushed away.

"As soon as Cole's free, we'll all have a get-together here at the cottage. We'll barbeque steaks and have the whole family over," Marty said before Starr left.

"Sounds wonderful. I'll see you all soon," Starr responded.

Starr looked down at her baby brother who was seated in the stroller. "Hey there, little guy!" she said as she bent down and kissed his cheek.

"He's really grown!" she said to Marty and Todd.

"Today's his sixth-month birthday," Todd stated.

"Happy Six-Month Birthday, Taylor!" Starr said sweetly to her little brother. "Well, I gotta go."

She hurried off and returned to her car. As they watched her drive away, Marty slipped her arms around Todd. "You did it," she said softly. "You got Cole out of prison."

Todd looked down at her as he took in the beauty of her blue eyes. "Cole needed to be home with Starr and Peanut. I'd do anything to make that happen," he told her.

She wrapped her arms around him even tighter in a hug. "Plus I think the governor may have been presuaded by that huge monetary contritution I offered him for his political campaign."

Marty laughed softly. "Ohhh so that's what it was..."

"Money talks, Marty. And one thing I do have is plenty of money," Todd stated as he continued to push their son's stroller down the walk-way. In the back of the cottage was a beautiful flower garden and gazebo. It was beautiful in the backyard at this time of the year with all the flowers in bloom and the golden sunlight pouring through the leaves of the trees.

"You have a lot more than that, Todd," she said as she took his hand into hers and gave it a tender squeeze.

"I have your love... and I think I needed that most of all," he told her as he stopped in front of the gazebo. He stared into Marty's eyes.

"Now that I have you, I have everything," he said as he took her hand and coaxed her into the gazebo with him so they could sit down and talk. Taylor remained right outside where they could see him, staring out at the angel fountain which was close by.

"Marty, we need to talk..." Todd said softly.

To Marty's surprise and shock, Todd pulled a beautiful diamond engagement ring from his pocket and placed it in her hand. "Marty Saybrooke, will you marry me?" he asked her.

When she didn't answer right away, Todd began apologizing. "I'm sorry I am asking on the anniversary of that awful night, but I-."

"Don't apologize, Todd. I want to replace all our painful memories with beautiful ones," she told him. "Yes. YES, I will marry you!"

Todd took the ring and placed it on Marty's finger. His heart did a flip-flop when he realized how amazingly perfect it was on her finger. Suddenly he pulled her to him in a long, passionate kiss.

"Does this mean we get our happily ever after now?" he asked her hopefully as he held her in his arms.

"I think so," she said with a smile.

"And could we have a little sister for Taylor... one we'll conceive the conventional way?"

A little smirk came to Marty's face when she heard his request. "I think that can be arrranged."

Taylor made a gurling noise from his stroller as though he approved. "He says he wants some competition," Todd said to Marty teasingly.

"That's wonderful... because I don't want him to grow up alone..."

"I don't want that either," Todd said as he brushed the tendrils of blond hair back from Marty's face. He kissed her again in the gazebo as they got started on building those beautiful memories.

THE END


End file.
